Agrarian Reform

• Agrarian reform is a complex and often controversial program which usually meets with opposition especially from those with vested interests
• In the last eight or nine decades, the Philippine government had legislated programs of agrarian reform.
• The implementation of agrarian reforms proceeded at a very slow pace. This was due to many factors like the lack of political wil
• the agrarian system of Philippines was being controlled by the large landlords. The small farmers in the Philippines were struggling for their rights to land and other natural resources. In colonial times, the Americans saw it as the main issue for revolts in the Philippines
• Agrarian Reform


  Refers to the governmental policies and programs aimed at redistributing land ownership and improving the welfare of agricultural workers and farmers.
• Phil. Bill of 1902


  Legislation that allowed individuals to acquire up to 16 hectares of land and corporate landholders to acquire up to 1,024 hectares.
• Phil. Commission Act No. 496


  Legislation that introduced the Torrens system to address the absence of land titles and accurate land surveying.
• Public Land Act of 1903


  Legislation that established a homestead program allowing tenants to enter into agribusiness with 16 hectares of farmland in Luzon and Mindanao.
• Sakdal Uprising


  A rebellion that occurred on May 2-3, 1935, demanding tax abolition, equal land ownership, and the immediate severance of ties with the USA.
• R.A. 34


  Legislation signed by President Roxas that established 70-30 sharing arrangements, regulating share tenancy contracts.
• R.A. 1199


  Legislation signed by President Magsaysay that protected tenurial rights and enforced tenancy practices.
• R.A. 3844


  The Agricultural Land Reform Code established during President Macapagal's term
• PD No. 27


  Code of Agrarian Reform of the Philippines introduced during President Marcos's term, applying to tenant farmers of private agricultural lands devoted to rice/corn under sharecrop or lease-tenancy system.
• Republic Act No. 6657


  Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law signed into law on June 10, 1988, still implemented today.
• Executive Order No. 228


  Declared full ownership to qualified farmer-beneficiaries covered by PD 27 and determined the value of remaining unvalued rice and corn lands subject to PD 27.
• Proclamation No. 131


  Instituted the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as a major government program and provided for the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF).
• Executive Order No. 405


  Vested in the Land Bank of the Philippines the responsibility to determine land valuation and compensation for all lands covered by CARP.
• President Roxas


  Signed R.A. 34, which established 70-30 sharing arrangements regulating share tenancy contracts.
• President Magsaysay


  Signed R.A. 1199, which protected tenurial rights and enforced tenancy practices.
• President Macapagal


  Oversaw the establishment of R.A. 3844, the Agricultural Land Reform Code.
• President Marcos


  Introduced PD No. 27, the Code of Agrarian Reform of the Philippines, which applied to tenant farmers of private agricultural lands devoted to rice/corn under sharecrop or lease-tenancy system.
• President Corazon C. Aquino


  Signed Republic Act No. 6657, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, which is still implemented today.
• Republic Act No. 7881 (1995)


  This law amended certain provisions of RA 6657 and exempted fishponds and prawns from the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
• Republic Act 8532 (1998)


  Also known as the Agrarian Reform Fund Bill, this law provided an additional Php50 billion for CARP and extended its implementation for another 10 years.
• Republic Act 9700 (August 7, 2009)


  This legislation, known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms, extended the deadline for distributing agricultural lands to farmers for an additional five years.
• President Fidel V. Ramos (1992-1998)


  Oversaw the amendment of certain provisions of RA 6657 through Republic Act No. 7881 and the enactment of Republic Act 8532, providing additional funding for CARP.
• President Joseph E. Estrada (1998-2000)


  Launched the "ERAP PARA SA MAHIRAP" initiative and introduced the Magkabalikat Para sa Kaunlarang Agraryo or MAGKASAKA program, forging joint ventures with private investors in the agrarian sector to enhance the competitiveness of farmer-beneficiaries.
• President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2000-2010)


  Signed Republic Act 9700 (August 7, 2009) The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms extending the deadline of distributing agricultural lands to farmers for five years
• Executive Order No. 228, July 16, 1987 


  Declared full ownership to qualified farmer-beneficiaries covered by PD 27. It also determined the value of remaining unvalued rice and corn lands subject of PD 27 and provided for the manner of payment by the FBs and mode of compensation to landowners
• Proclamation No. 131, July 22, 1987 


  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
• Executive Order No. 405, June 14, 1990 


  Vested in the Land Bank of the Philippines the responsibility to determine land valuation and compensation for all lands covered by CARP.
• Since the 1930s, Philippine government has instituted various land reforms, the most recent of which is the 1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (R.A 6657)
• Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 (R.A No. 6657)


  agrarian reform is defined to mean “the redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to farmers and regular farm workers who are landless
• 16th -19th Century Landownership System

  • Dispersed communities were organized into Pueblo agriculture
  • King of Spain owned the land
  • Filipinos paid tributes
  • Hacienda system developed in 19th century and as new form of ownership
  • In 1860s, landholders were required to register landholdings
  • Lands claimed and registered in other people’s names forced peasants out of the land
  • This is the primary reason of Philippine revolts
  • Phil. Revolutionary government of Aguinaldo declared landed estates including friars as government property to redistribute them but did not happen
• Landownership under Americans

  Failed due to budget allocation and peasant uprising
• President Benigno Aquino III (2010-2016)


  Under his administration, the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) project was created to contribute to the overall goal of rural poverty reduction especially in agrarian reform areas.
• President Benigno Aquino III (2010-2016)


  Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) provided credit support for crop production to newly organized and existing agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) and farmers’ organizations not qualified to avail themselves of loans under the regular credit windows of banks.
• President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (2016 – present)

  the President wants to pursue an “aggressive” land reform program that would help alleviate the life of poor Filipino farmers by prioritizing the provision of support services alongside land distribution.
• President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (2016 – present)

  The President directed the DAR to launch the 2nd phase of agrarian reform where landless farmers would be awarded with undistributed lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
• President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (2016 – present)


  The President also placed 400 hectares of agricultural lands in Boracay under CARP.