1.

Discuss comprehensively what is all about the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) along
the following guide questions: (30 points)

CARP, or Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, is the redistribution of public and private
agricultural lands to farmers and farmworkers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement.
CARP’s vision is to have an equitable land ownership with empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries
who can effectively manage their economic and social development to have a better quality of life.
The legal basis of CARP is the Republic Act No. 6657 otherwise known as Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) signed by President Corazon C. Aquino on June 10, 1988. It is an act which
aims to promote social justice and industrialization, providing the mechanism for its implementation,
and for other purposes.
The goal is to provide landowners equality in terms of income and opportunities, empower land
owner beneficiaries to have equitable land ownership, enhance agricultural production and
productivity, provide employment to more agricultural workers, and put an end to conflicts regarding
land ownership.
The following agencies are connected to the implementation of the CARP: Food and Agriculture
organization (FAO), Department of Agriculture (DA), National Food Authority (NFA), Food and
Nutrition Research Institution (FNRI), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), Department of Agrarian (DAR), National Institution Council (NNC), Philippine Atmospheric,
geophysical and Astronomical service Administration (PAGASA), BUREAU of soils and Water
Management (BSWM).
The DAR and DENR claim that the past 25 years, CARP has succeeded in covering a substantial
portion of its total target scope despite the many problems that affected the program
implementation. Thus, it is incorrect to simply dismiss CARP as a failure. Former constitutional
commissioner and staunch agrarian reform advocate Christian Monsod notes that the CARP has not
failed. It has underperformed but it is not a failure.

2. Describe the History of the Agrarian Reforms in the Philippines. (50 points)

Pre- Colonization Period Post-Colonization

Colonization Spanish American Japanese
There consist Royal land grant Basically, the The anti- The establishment of the
different classes (encomienda) ownership of Japanese Philippine Independence
of society. The was introduced. the land was organization has not solved the problem
social structure Encomienda proved by HUKBALAHAP regarding land tenure. A
consist of the defends his own written has number of new laws were
Datus, encomienda documents controlled passed but they were
Maharlika, (land) and he through the the whole mainly based on the laws
Mamamahay has right to Torrens System. area of regulated during the
and alipin collect tribute Central Luzon American regime.
saquiquilid. from the natives There is aalso a and
residing within certain rule on distributed These laws were
Everyone, the the regulation these land to characterized as pro-farmer
regardless of encomienda. of the those who and pro-landless, as the
class had access relationship supported land under the CARP were
to the fruit of This system between the distributed to the farmers
 the soil which turned to abuse landowners and organization. and those who do not have
means that such that the tenants. For The landlords land.
anybody can tribute became instance, the who
use the land land rents and law has supported The new laws also provide
regardless of the natives expressly the Japanese regulations regarding the
the ownership. became share mandated that lost their relationship between
tenants instead sharing of rice lands to tenants and owners. They
of cultivating between them peasants. give better security to
the land in should be 50- tenants.
freedom. 50.
There is also more
cooperation from the
government regarding
distribution. The
government has also
provides more services and
programs such as a credit
assistance, extension
services, construction of
roads and bridges and even
marketing facilities.

Later administrations
passed laws that regulates
wider scope of activities
regarding agriculture such
as fishing activities.

3. What is the Rice Tariffication Law? What are its salient points? How does it impact the lives of tenant
farmers? (20 points)

Republic act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) is passed to address the problem
regarding rice shortage in the country. This allows import from foreign producers of rice without the
previously placed quotas. During the rice shortages, the prices of rice has hit P70 per kilo, and this law is
supposed to decrease rice prices by P7. Through this law, the price of the rice commodity is dictated by
the demand in the market (Higher supplies results to lower prices).
This law has the greatest impact on the farmers, since they have more competitor for the rice
product. This would mean lesser sale for them and thus lesser profit. The prices of the rice have been
lowered while the cost of these to the farmers remains the same. This results again, to less profit for
these farmers.
Accordingly, importations from ASEAN countries gives rise to a tariff of 35% while non-ASEAN
countries have 40% tariffs if imports are below 350, 000 metric tons and 180% if imports are above 350,
000 metric tons. The collected tariffs will go the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund which will
fund mass irrigation, rice shortage and research initiatives. It will also fund farm equipments, rice
cooperatives, local government units, rice seed development, propagation, promotion, rice credit
assistance, and extension services. All these activities are supposed to help and support Filipino farmers
over a six-year period.