SEMI-FINAL

LESSON 1: AGRARIAN REFORM POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I1H3a8SP_M

PRE-SPANISH PERIOD

Filipinos already lived in villages and barangays even before the Spaniards came to the Philippines. The
settlements were ruled by chieftains or datus who comprised the nobility. There were also the maharlikas
(freemen), the aliping mamamahay (serfs) and aliping sagigilid (slaves). Despite the existence of a social
structure, everyone had access to the fruits of the soil. Rice was the medium of exchange as money was yet
unknown.

SPANISH PERIOD (1521-1896]

The Spaniards introduced the concept of encomienda to the Philippines. Encomienda was a system of giving
lands (Royal Land Grants) to the Spanish conquerors that were loyal to the Spanish monarch. As a matter of
policy, encomenderos must defend his encomienda from external attack, maintain peace and order within,
and support the missionaries. In turn, the encomenderos were given the right to collect taxes (tribute) from
the indios (natives). Because of this, encomenderos started to abuse their power by renting their lands to a
few powerful landlords, and the natives who once freely cultivated the land became share tenants.

AGRARIAN UPRISINGS (1745-46)

Taxation was not only the reasons for the revolts of the Filipinos during the Spanish Period, but the agrarian
unrest as well. The Agrarian Revolt happened between 1745 and 1946 in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite, and
Bulacan. The revolt happened in the towns of Lian and Nasugbu in Batangas. The grabbing of lands by the
Catholic religious orders angered the native lands owners and demanded that their lands be returned based
on ancestral domain. However, the Spanish priests refused which resulted to riots and massive looting of
convents and the burning down off churches and ranches. Troops were sent from Manila to Batangas to quell
the disturbance. The encounter was bloody and those who surrendered were pardoned. The uprising
resonated in other towns of the neighboring provinces, notably Biñan, Imus, Silang, Kawit, Bacoor, San Mateo,
Taguig, Parañaque, and Hagonoy. The agrarian conflicts reached the ear of King Philip VI who appointed Oidor
(a judge of the Royal Audiencias and Chancillerías) Pedro Calderon Enriquez to investigate the charges brought
against the religious orders and to ascertain the validity of their titles to the lands in question. The friars were
ordered to submit their titles to a secular judge, but refused to comply, claiming ecclesiastical exemption. In
the face of their opposition the governor general dispossessed the friars of the lands which were said to have
been illegally occupied by the friars and which they were continuing to hold without legitimate title, restoring
the lands to the Crown. The case was appealed by the friars to the Royal Audiencia of Manila and that tribunal
upheld the first decision; then the case was further appealed to the Council of the Indies in Spain and again
the decision was confirmed. But the whole matter did not stop here; subsequently, the friars won their case
and retained the disputed lands, and their ownership of the lands remained intact even after the end of the
Spanish regime.

THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC

When Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo came to power in 1899, the Malolos Constitution which they crafted intended to
confiscate the so-called Friar lands and other large estates. However, the First Philippine Republic was short-
lived so that the plan to confiscate the lands was never executed.

AMERICAN PERIOD [1898-1935)

There were some noteworthy regulations enacted during the American period. These were the Philippine Bill
of 1902, which set the ceilings on the hectarage of private individuals to 16 hectares, and 1,024 hectares for
corporations. The Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act No. 496), which provided for a comprehensive
registration of land titles 1under the Torrens system. The Public Land Act of 1.903, which introduced the
homestead system in the Philippines. The Tenancy Act of 1933 (Act No. 4054 and 4113), which regulated
relationships between landowners and tenants of rice (50-50 sharing) and sugar cane lands. However, The
Land Registration Act of 1902 did not completely solve the problem of land registration under the Torrens
system because the lands owners might not have been aware of the law or that they could not pay the survey
cost and other fees required in applying for a Torrens title.

COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1935-1942)

During this period, President Manuel L. Quezon advocated the Social Justice program to block the increasing
social unrest in Central Luzon. Significant legislations enacted during Commonwealth period were the
following:
1) The 1935 Constitution, which was promulgated for the promotion of social justice to ensure the well-
being and economic security of all people, should be the concern of the State.
2) The Commonwealth Act No. 178 (An Amendment to Rice Tenancy Act No. 4045), enacted on Nov. 13,
1936, provided for certain controls in the landlord-tenant relationships.
3) The National Rice and Corn Corporation (NARIC) of 1936 established the price of rice and corn that helped
the poor tenants as well as consumers.
4) The Commonwealth Act. No. 461, 1937, specified the reasons for dismissal of tenants and only with the
approval of the Tenancy Division of the Department of Justice.
5) The Rural Program Administration, created on March 2, 1939, provided the purchase and lease of
haciendas and their sale and lease to the tenants.
6) The Commonwealth Act No. 441, enacted on June 3, 1939, created the National Settlement
Administration with a capital stock of P20, 000,000.

JAPANESE OCCUPATION

During the Second World War (that started in Europe in 1939 and in the Pacific in 1941), the Hukbo ng Bayan
Laban sa Hapon (HUKBALAHAP) controlled the areas of Central Luzon. The HUKBALAHAP was composed of
peasants and workers who took up arms against the Japanese forces. Peasants who supported them earned
fixed rentals, while landowners who supported the Japanese lost their lands to peasants. But this was short-
lived because it ended with the end of WWII.
The problems of land tenure in the Philippines remained even after the Philippine Independence in 1946. To
address the problem, the Philippines Congress revised the tenancy law.

PRESIDENT MANUEL ROXAS (1946-1948]

During Roxas' administration, the following laws were enacted: Republic Act No. 34, which established the 70-
30 sharing arrangements and regulated the share-tenancy contracts. Republic Act No. 55, which provided for a
more effective safeguard against arbitrary ejectment of tenants.

PRESIDENT ELPIDIO QUIRINO (1948-1953)]

President Elpidio Quirino issued Executive Order No. 355 on October 23, 1950, replaced the National Land
Settlement Administration with Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO) that took over the
responsibilities of the Agricultural Machinery Equipment Corporation and the Rice and Corn Production
Administration.

PRESIDENT RAMON MAGSAYSAY (1953-1957)

President Ramon Magsaysay enacted the following laws: (a) Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954, which abolished
the LASEDECO and established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) to
resettle dissidents and landless farmers. It was particularly aimed at rebel returnees providing home lots and
farmlands in Palawan and Mindanao. (b) Republic Act No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954), which
governed the relationship between landowners and tenant farmers by organizing share-tenancy and leasehold
system. It also created the Court of Agrarian Relations. (c) Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955),
which created the Land Ténure Administration (LTA) that was responsible for the acquisition and distribution
of large tenanted rice and corn lands over 200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for corporations. (d)
Republic Act No. 821 (Creation of Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing Administration), which provided
loans to small farmers and share tenants with interest rates of as low six to eight percent.

PRESIDENT CHRLOS P. GARCIA (1957-1961)

President Carlos P. Garcia who succeeded the presidency after the death of President Ramon Magsaysay
continued the program.

PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL (1961-1965)

President Diosdado Macapagal enacted Republic Act No. 3844 of August 8, 1963 (Agricultural Land Reform
Code) that abolished share tenancy, institutionalized leasehold, set retention limit at 75 hectares, invested
rights of preemption and redemption for tenant farmers, provided for an administrative machinery for
implementation, institutionalized a judicial system of agrarian cases, incorporated extension, marketing and
supervised credit system of services of farmer beneficiaries.

PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS [1965-1986

The Philippines New Society (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) was ushered in by the proclamation of Martial law
(Proclamation No. 1081) on September 21, 1972. During this time, the Agrar1an Reform program was put into
law and land reform program was implemented.

In the events the followed, President Marcos decreed the following:

(1) Republic Act No. 6389, (Code of Agrarian Reform) and RA No. 6390 of 1971 that created the Department of
Agrarian Reform and the Agrarian Reform Special Account Fund and expanded the scope of agrarian reform.
(2) Presidential Decree No. 2, September 26, 1972, declared the country under land reform program and
activated the Agrarian Reform Coordinating Council. All government agencies were ordered to fully cooperate
and assist the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
(3) Presidential Decree No. 27, October 21, 1972, restricted the land reform scope to tenanted rice and corn
lands and set the retention limit at 7 hectares.

PRESIDENT CORAZON C. AQUINO (1986-1992]

Article II, Sec. 21 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that "The State shall promote comprehensive
rural development and agrarian reform." With this, President Cory Aquino signed into law the following:
(1) Executive Order No. 228, July 16, 1987, which declared full land ownership to qualified farmer-beneficiaries
covered by PD 27.
(2) Executive Order No. 229, July 22, 1987, provided the mechanism for the implementation of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
(3) Proclamation No. 131, July 22, 1987, which' instituted the CARP as a major program of the government. It
provided for a special fund known as the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), with an initial amount of Php50 billion
to cover the estimated cost of the program from 1987-1992.
(4) Executive Order No. 129-A, July 26, 1987, which streamlined and expanded the power and operations of
the DAR.
(5) Republic Act No. 6657, also known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) which was signed
into law on June 10, 1988. This law instituted a comprehensive agrarian reform program to promote social
justice and industrialization. This law is still at work until the present.
(6) Executive Order No. 405, June 14, 1990, which conferred in the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) the
responsibility to determine land valuation and compensation for all lands covered by CARP.
(7) Executive Order No. 407, June 14, 1990, which accelerated the acquisition and distribution of agricultural
lands, pasture lands, fishponds, agro-forestry lands and other lands of the public domain suitable for
agriculture.

PRESIDENT FIDEL V. RAMOS [1992-1998)

President Fidel V. Ramos enacted laws that would promote a more meaningful agrarian reform program.
These laws include:
1. Republic Act No. 7881 of 1995. This law amended certain provisions of RA 6657 and exempted fishponds
and prawns from CARP coverage.
2. Republic Act No. 7905 of 1995, which strengthened CARP implementation.
3. Executive Order No. 363 of 1997, which prescribed the guidelines for the protection of areas non-
negotiable for conversion and monitoring compliance with Section 20 of the Local Government Code.
4. Republic Act No. 8435 of 1997 (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act AFMA), an act prescribing
urgent related measures to modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors of the country in order to
enhance their profitability and prepare said sectors for the challenges of globalization through an adequate,
focused and rational delivery of necessary support services, appropriating funds therefor and for other
purposes.
5. Republic Act 8532 of 1998, an act strengthening further the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP), by providing augmentation fund therefor, amending for the purpose Section 63 of Republic Act No.
6657, otherwise known as "The CARP Law of 1988". This law provided an additional Php50 billion for CARP
and extended its implementation for another 10 years.

PRESIDENT JOSEPH E. ESTRADA [1998-2000]

ERAP initiated the enactment of Executive Order NO. 151, September 1999 (Farmers Trust Fund), which
established the farmers trust development program and provided institutional reforms and fund mechanisms
for mobilizing long term private sector capital for rural development. President Estrada launched the
Magkabalikat para sa Kaunlarang Agraryo or MAGKASAKA. The DAR forged into joint ventures with private
investors into agrarian sector. The "Agrikulturang Maka Masa" was also launched that achieved an output
growth of 6 percent, which lowered the inflation rate from 11 percent in January 1999 to just a little over 3
percent by November of the same year. This was a record high at the time.

PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPACAL-ARROYO (2001-2010]

Pres. Arroyo envisioned to make the countryside economically viable for the Filipino family by building
partnership and promoting social equity and new economic opportunities towards lasting peace and
sustainable rural development.

So, on September 27, 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, signed:

1. Executive Order No. 379 s 2004, amending Executive Order No. 364 entitled Transforming the
Department of Agrarian Reform into the Department of Land Reform (DLR), which broadened the scope
of the Department by making it responsible for all land reform in the country. It also placed the Philippine
Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) under its supervision and control. DLR was also responsible for the
recognition of the ownership of ancestral domain by indigenous peoples, under the National Commission
on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
2. Memorandum Circular No. 4 series of 2003 operationalized the development of Kapit Bisig Laban sa
Kahirapan Agrarian Reform Zones.
3. Republic Act No. 9700s 2009, an act strengthening the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP),
extending the acquisition and distribution of all agricultural lands, instituting necessary reforms,
amending tor the purpose certain provisions of republic act no. 6657, otherwise known as the
comprehensive agrarian reform law of 1988, as amended, and appropriating funds therefor.

PRESIDENT BENIGNO SIMEON COJUANGCO AQUINO II (2010-2016]

President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino II together with farmers, Catholic bishops, and other land reform
advocates developed a plan of action for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
Extension with Reforms (CARPER). Aquino established the multi-stakeholder’s mechanism, composed of
representatives from the Department of Agrarian Reform and other CARP implementing agencies of the
government, church officials, non-governmental organizations, people’s organizations, and other farmers'
groups and federations to monitor the implementation of the CARP, specifically focusing on:
a) coverage and distribution of agricultural lands;
b) movement and performance of Department of Agrarian Reform personnel;
c) delivery of support services to the beneficiaries; and (d) budget allocation and utilization.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE (2016-PRESENT)

The issue of land reform has been persistent even up to the present time. The current Duterte administration
is committed to pursuing the agrarian reform program in the country. President Duterte, who is also the
chairman of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), has included land tenure security in his 10-point
socio-economic agenda to improve the quality of life of farmers and raise their productivity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSZK5pvZX-Q