CHAPTER 4

Bureaus

SECTION 13. Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistance.—The Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistance shall have the following functions:

(1) Formulate guidelines, plans and programs for the effective delivery of legal assistance to the clientele;

(2) Adopt the process of mediation and conciliation to judiciously settle agrarian problems;

(3) Investigate cases, review recommendations, and prepare orders, decisions and resolutions on matters involving agrarian dispute;

(4) Maintain a docket of cases on claims and conflicts and issue clearance in relation thereto;

(5) Provide legal information and prepare materials for publication;

(6) Conduct and compile legal research and studies on agrarian reform and maintain a law library;

(7) Prepare legal opinions on matters pertaining to agrarian reform program implementation;

(8) Represent agrarian reform beneficiaries or members of their immediate farm households before all courts and quasi-judicial and administrative bodies, in civil, criminal or administrative cases instituted by or against them, arising from or are connected with, an agrarian dispute;

(9) Develop, maintain and coordinate para-legal services for agrarian reform clientele;

(10) Advise and assist the Office of the Secretary and field offices in agrarian legal matters;

(11) Conduct a continuing follow-up and evaluation of the handling and disposition of judicial cases, claims and conflicts adjudication, legal information and para-legal services of the Department; and

(12) Perform such other functions and duties as may be provided by law.

SECTION 14. Bureau of Land Development.—The Bureau shall have the following functions:

(1) Draw up plans and programs of land surveys and determine which land survey projects can be done by administration or by contract;

(2) Develop and prescribe procedures and techniques on land surveys in accordance with approved standards;

(3) Develop plans and programs, guidelines, procedures and techniques for soil surveys and classification and for complete aerial photogrammetry;

(4) Analyze and compile soil data and survey reports essential for the production of soil maps and identify particular areas for soil research;

(5) Develop land use patterns, procedures and compile adequate maps for proper land use;

(6) Draw up plans, programs and designs for agricultural development under the scheme of land consolidation;

(7) Formulate policies, guidelines and procedures for the regulation of conversion of private agricultural lands to non-agricultural use, in accordance with the provisions of existing laws, as amended, and other related issuances;

(8) Establish a schedule of priorities in the construction of houses, waterworks, irrigation systems and other community facilities;

(9) Formulate policies and guidelines in the procurement, maintenance or rehabilitation of agricultural machinery and equipment, and review, and evaluate plans, programs, specifications, and cost estimates of land development projects;

(10) Provide functional and technical assistance on the implementation of land development;

(11) Monitor and evaluate activities of field offices on land development; and

(12) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

SECTION 15. Bureau of Land Tenure Development.—The Bureau shall have the following functions:

(1) Develop policies, plans and programs, and standard operating procedures in the acquisition and distribution of public and private agricultural lands, including measures to ensure that the lands distributed by the government to the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program shall be subsequently transferred or sold only to qualified tenant-tillers, agricultural workers and other landless citizens;

(2) Design socio-economic survey plans and prescribe standards, guidelines and procedures in the conduct of such surveys in areas sought to be acquired or administered by the Department of Agrarian Reform;

(3) Develop standards for the valuation of lands placed under the agrarian reform program and formulate appropriate land compensation schemes for affected landowners;

(4) Formulate general policies and guidelines in the identification of tillers and agricultural lands to be purchased or expropriated, subject of petitions or applications for the exercise of the right of pre-emption or redemption, or voluntarily offered for coverage under the agrarian reform program, and portions of the public domain which may be opened for settlement;

(5) Maintain a current inventory of tillers, landowners, landholdings, including crops and production thereon and other related records;

(6) Streamline procedures governing the titling of lands transferred to the beneficiaries of agrarian reform and the documentation of leasehold and other tenurial arrangements;

(7) Develop alternative tenurial or working arrangements or relationships in agrarian reform areas aimed at ensuring security of tenure and equitable distribution of income;

(8) Formulate policies, guidelines, standards, procedures and programs in the development and conduct of land tenure research;

(9) Identify areas of research relevant to land tenure, determine priority needs, and prepare land tenure research designs/proposals;

(10) Undertake operational research and evaluation studies on land tenure programs and projects;

(11) Monitor research findings on land tenure and other related studies by various research agencies;

(12) Review and evaluate documents for the generation, registration, and issuance of Emancipation Patents/Title, land valuation, and landowners compensation claims as to its completeness, accuracy and validity;

(13) Initiate verification and/or investigation of questionable or inconsistent documents as well as data or information critical for expeditious disposition of land transactions by authorities concerned; and

(14) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

SECTION 16. Bureau of Agrarian Reform Information Education.—The Bureau shall have the following functions:

(1) Provide policy guidance and develop plans and programs for effective and continuing information, education and promotional activities of the Department;

(2) Develop, conduct, assist and coordinate training and education programs to increase farmer, DAR and other governmental personnel participation in program implementation;

(3) Coordinate or implement linkage training or education programs and projects;

(4) Integrate agrarian reform concepts into all levels of the national education system;

(5) Develop appropriate communication materials or aids to support agrarian reform promotion and training;

(6) Produce and disseminate media materials to implement the information programs of the Department;

(7) Maintain and update a library of materials on agrarian reform;

(8) Provide for the establishment of a center for agrarian reform studies;

(9) Provide functional and technical assistance on farmer education and public information;

(10) Coordinate and evaluate training programs and activities undertaken by the regional offices and other units of the Department; and

(11) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

SECTION 17. Bureau of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development.—The Bureau shall have the following functions:

(1) Formulate plans, programs, policies and guidelines for the development of agrarian reform areas into viable agro-industrial estates, the promotion of cooperative systems of production, processing, marketing, distribution, credit and services;

(2) Formulate policies, programs and guidelines for the development and management of resettlement areas and landed estates;

(3) Promote the organization and participation of agrarian reform beneficiaries to enhance the dignity and welfare of the beneficiaries and to serve as sources of development information inputs and feedback as basis for policy formulation;

(4) Serve as liaison between the DAR and the legitimate organizations of agrarian reform beneficiaries and serve as receiving zone for request and proposals from legitimately organized agrarian reform beneficiaries associations for appropriate action by any of the Bureaus or Services;

(5) Develop and undertake research and pilot studies of alternative land tenure systems such as agro-industrial estates, cooperative farming and other cooperative-cultivatorship schemes;

(6) Develop project models such as but not limited to compact farms, and other income generating projects, and undertake research and pilot studies on these models and other innovative schemes in coordination with field offices;

(7) Establish linkages with concerned agencies for farm support services and to ensure immediate and effective project implementation;

(8) Provide functional and technical assistance on development and management of resettlement areas and landed estates, organization of agrarian reform beneficiaries and implementation of economic projects;

(9) Monitor and evaluate the activities of field offices on the development and management of resettlement areas and landed estates, and agrarian reform beneficiaries development; and

(10) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

Executive Order No. 292
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987