Section 13August 7, 2009, Sec./Art. 13

Section 36 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 36. Funding for Support Services. - In order to cover the expenses and cost of support services, at least forty percent (40%) of all appropriations for agrarian reform during the five (5) year extension period shall be immediately set aside and made available for this purpose: Provided, That the DAR shall pursue integrated land acquisition and distribution and support services strategy requiring a plan to be developed parallel to the land acquisition and distribution process.

The planning and implementation for land acquisition and distribution shall be hand-in-hand with support services delivery: Provided, further, That for the next five (5) years, as far as practicable, a minimum of two (2) Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) shall be established by the DAR, in coordination with the local government units, non-governmental organizations, 'community-based cooperatives and people's organizations in each legislative district with a predominant agricultural population: Provided, furthermore, That the areas in which the ARCS are to be established shall have been substantially covered under the provisions of this Act and other agrarian or land reform laws: Provided, finally, That a complementary support services delivery strategy for existing agrarian reform beneficiaries that are not in barangays within the ARCs shall be adopted by the DAR.

"For this purpose, an Agrarian Reform Community is composed and managed by agrarian reform beneficiaries who shall be willing to be organized and to undertake the integrated development of an area and/or their organizations/ cooperatives. In each community, the DAR, together with the agencies and organizations abovementioned, shall identify the farmers' association, cooperative or their respective federations approved by the farmers- beneficiaries that shall take the lead in the agricultural development of the area. In addition, the DAR, in close coordination with the congressional oversight committee created herein, with due notice to the concerned representative of the legislative district prior to implementation shall be authorized to package proposals and receive grants, aids and other forms of financial assistance from any source"