AGRARIAN

REFORM
CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY
CHAPTER
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6657
 This Act shall be known as the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law of 1988.

 AN ACT INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE

AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM TO PROMOTE
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND INDUSTRIALIZATION,
PROVIDING THE MECHANISM FOR ITS
IMPLEMENTATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
AND POLICIES
 Land ownership has a social function and responsibility,
with agricultural landowners responsible for cultivating
and making the land productive. The State encourages
investment in agrarian reform programs for
industrialization, employment, and privatization, and may
lease public domain lands for capital-intensive farms and
export-oriented crops.
DEFINITIONS.
 The text defines farmworkers as individuals who are employed on a
permanent basis by an agricultural enterprise or farm, seasonal
farmworkers as those employed recurrently or intermittently, and
other farmworkers who do not fall under these categories.
Cooperatives are organizations composed of small agricultural
producers, farmers, and farmworkers who voluntarily pool
resources and operate on the principle of one member, one vote.
CHAPTER II

COVERAGE
SCOPE
 The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 covers
all public and private agricultural lands, including
alienable and disposable lands, lands exceeding specific
limits, government lands, and private lands suitable for
agriculture. Reclassification of forest or mineral lands to
agricultural lands is not allowed until Congress determines
limits. The law also covers lands owned by the government
and suitable for agriculture.
SCHEDULE OF
IMPLEMENTATION
The Act mandates the immediate and
complete distribution of all lands
covered, with completion expected
within ten years of its effectivity.
RETENTION LIMITS
 This Act prohibits the ownership or retention of public or private agricultural
land, varying in size based on factors like commodity production, terrain,
infrastructure, and soil fertility. Retention must not exceed five hectares.
Children of landowners may receive three hectares, subject to age and
management. Landowners covered by Presidential Decree No. 27 can retain
areas retained by them. Landowners have the right to choose the area for
retention, but tenants can choose to remain in the retained area or be a
beneficiary in another agricultural land. Tenancy security is respected. Any
violation of this Act will be null and void, but those executed before this Act
must be registered with the Register of Deeds within three months.
PRIORITIES
 The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Presidential
Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) will plan and program the
acquisition and distribution of agricultural lands for ten years.

 Phases one will include rice and corn lands under Presidential
Decree No. 27, idle or abandoned lands, private lands voluntarily
offered for agrarian reform, foreclosed lands, and government-
owned lands suitable for agriculture.
Phase two will include alienable and
disposable public agricultural lands, arable
public agricultural lands, public agricultural
lands for new development and resettlement,
and private agricultural lands exceeding 50
hectares.

Phase three will include large and medium-

sized private agricultural lands.
The schedule of acquisition and redistribution will
be based on priority, considering the need to
distribute land to tillers, enhance agricultural
productivity, and provide funds and resources.

The PARC may declare certain provinces or regions

as priority land reform areas.
MULTINATIONAL
CORPORATION
 The Act mandates the acquisition and distribution of public domain
lands owned by multinational corporations and associations, as well
as lands owned by the government or government-owned entities,
for agri-business or agro-industrial enterprises.

 These lands must be disposed of in accordance with the limits set

forth in Article XII of the Constitution.
 Lease, management, grower, or service contracts covering lands
over 1,000 hectares or 500 hectares are deemed amended.

 Contracts covering areas not exceeding 1,000 hectares or 500

hectares can continue under their original terms until August 29,
1992, or their valid termination.

 Lands leased by private individuals and non-governmental

corporations, owned by citizens of the Philippines, must be
immediately acquired and distributed upon the expiration of the
applicable lease, management, grower, or service contract.
Lands are distributed directly to individual worker-
beneficiaries, and if dividing the land is not
economically feasible, a workers’ cooperative or
association will be formed.

The Act does not justify or result in the reduction of

benefits received by worker-beneficiaries.
The Act applies to farms operated by multinational
corporations and provides assistance in learning
modern technology.

Foreign corporations, associations, entities, or

individuals do not enjoy any rights or privileges
better than domestic ones.
ANCESTRAL LANDS
 This Act protects the ancestral lands of indigenous cultural communities,
including those in their actual possession and occupation, while respecting the
Torrens System.

 It ensures their economic, social, and cultural well-being, and recognizes their
land ownership, use, and dispute resolution systems.

 The PARC may suspend implementation for identifying and delineating

ancestral lands, allowing autonomous regions to enact their own laws.
EXEMPTIONS AND
CONCLUSION
Lands used for parks, wildlife, forest reserves,
reforestation, fish sanctuaries, watersheds, national
defense, school sites, seed production centers,
churches, mosques, burial grounds, penal colonies,
research and quarantine centers, and lands with 18%
slope or more are exempt from coverage under this
Act.
COMMERCIAL FARMING
 Commercial farms, private agricultural lands for livestock,
poultry, and aquaculture, will be compulsorily acquired
and distributed after ten years.

 The government will initiate the acquisition process,

paying just compensation for land and improvements.
Ideally, organized cooperatives or associations will
manage the lands for worker-beneficiaries.

If the deferment is no longer needed, areas will be

redistributed.

Section 32 of the Act applies to commercial farms.

 CHAPTER III

IMPROVEMENT OF
TENURIAL AND
LABOR RELATIONS
DETERMINATION OF LEASE
RENTALS
The DAR is tasked with determining and adjusting
lease rentals for farmers in tenanted lands under
retention limits and unacquired lands, as per
Republic Act No. 3844, to improve their economic
status and tenanted conditions.
PRODUCTION-SHARING PLAN
 Enterprises adopting Section 32 or operating under
production ventures, leases, or management contracts must
execute a production-sharing plan within 90 days of the
Act’s effectivity.

 This does not affect employee benefits or prevent the

enterprise from entering into agreements with more
favorable terms.
THANKYOU
SUBMITTED BY:
CANDARI ALDRIN C.
JAVIER ADRIAN A.
TUMBAGAHON ISRAEL
SUBMITTED TO:
MR. ENRICO AGUSTIN
ROBLES