SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND

CULTURAL ISSUES IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

CHAPTER 4
 POLICIES ON AGRARIAN REFORM
• Agrarian Reform is essentially the rectification
of the whole system of agriculture.
• Agrarian Reform is centered on the
relationship between production and the
distribution of land among farmers.
• It also focused on the political and economic
class character of the relations of production
and distribution in farming and related
enterprises, and how these connect to the
wider class structure.
LANDOWNERSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES
UNDER SPAIN
• The Spaniards brought the system of pueblo
agriculture in our country. Rural communities,
often dispersed and scattered in nature, were
organized into a pueblo and given land to
cultivate.
• Families were not allowed to own their land – the
King of Spain owned the land, and Filipinos were
assigned to these lands to cultivate them, and
they paid their colonial tributes to the Spanish
authorities in the form of agricultural products.
 LANDOWNERSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES
UNDER SPAIN
• Law of Indies are the entire body of laws issued by the
Spanish Crown for the American and the Asian
possessions of its empire. They regulated social,
political, religious, and economic life in these areas.
• Spanish Crown awarded tracts of land to:
1. Religious orders;
2. Repartamientos for Spanish military as
Rewarded for their service;
3. Spanish encomienderos, those
mandated to manage the
encomienda or lands given to them.
LANDOWNERSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES
UNDER SPAIN
• Encomienda was a system of giving lands (Royal Land
Grants) to the Spanish conquerors that were loyal to
the Spanish monarch.
• Encomienderos must defend his encomienda from
external attack, maintain peace and order within, and
support the missionaries.
• Encomienderos were given the right to collect taxes
(tribute) from the indios (natives)
 LANDOWNERSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES
UNDER THE AMERICANS
• The regulations enacted during the American Period
 Philippine Bill of 1902, which set the ceilings on the
hectarage of private individuals to 16 hectares, and 1,024
hectares for corporations.
 Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act No. 496) , which
provided for a comprehensive registration of land titles
under the Torrens system.
 The Public Land Act of 1903, 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.
 THE SAKDAL (OR SAKDALISTA) UPRISING
• A peasant rebellion in Central Luzon that lasted for two days,
May 2-3, 1935. it was easily crushed by government forces then,
but this historical event tells of the social inequality brought
about by issues in land ownership and tenancy in the country.
• The Filipino word sakdal means “to accuse,” which is the title of
the newspaper helmed by Benigno Ramos. He rallied support
from Manila and nearby provinces through the publication,
which led to the establishment of Partido Sakdalista 1n 1933.
they demanded reforms from the government, such as the
abolition of taxes and “equal or common” ownership of land.
They also opposed the dominant Nacionalista Party’s
acceptance of gradual independence from the United States,
and instead demanded immediate severance of ties with
America.
 COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1935-1942)
• Social Justice Program during the Commonwealth Period:
 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.
 The Commonwealth ActNo. 178 (An Ammendment to Rice
Tenancy Act No. 4045), enacted on Nov. 13, 1936, provided
for certain controls in the landlord-tenant relationships.
 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.
 COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1935-1942)
 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.
 The Rural Program Administration, created on March
2, 1939, provided the purchase and lease of haciendas
and their sale and lease to the tenants.
 The Commonwealth Act No. 441, enacted on June 3,
1939, created the National Settlement Administration
with a capital stock of P20,000,000.
 POST-WAR INTERVENTIONS TOWARD
AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT MANUEL ROXAS (1946-1948)
 FOLLOWING LAWS WERE ENACTED DURING THE ROXAS
ADMINISTRATION:
 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.
 The government also attempted to redistribute hacienda
lands, falling prey to the woes of similar attempts since no
support was given to small farmers who were given lands.
 POST-WAR INTERVENTIONS TOWARD
AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT ELPIDIO QUIRINO (1948-1953)
 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.
PRES. RAMON MAGSAYSAY (1953-1957)
 Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954, which abolished LASEDECO
and established the National Resettlement and rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) to resettle dissidents and landless
farmers.
 POST-WAR INTERVENTIONS TOWARD
AGRARIAN REFORM
PRES. RAMON MAGSAYSAY (1953-1957)
 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.
 Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955), which created the
Land Tenure 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.
 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 as 6-8 percent.
 POST-WAR INTERVENTIONS TOWARD
AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL (1961-1965)
 Declaration Republic Act No. 3844 of August 8, 1963 (Agricultural Land Reform
Code)
Source: Section 2. Declaration of Policy – It is the policy of the State:
(1) To establish owner-cultivatorship and the and the economic family-size farm as
the basis of Philippine agriculture and, as a consequence, divert landlord capital
in agriculture to industrial development;
(2) To achieve a dignified existence for the small farmers free from pernicious
institutional restraints and practices;
(3) To create a truly viable social and economic structure in agriculture conducive
to greater productivity and higher farm incomes;
(4) To apply all labor laws equally and without discrimination in agriculture
conducive to greater productivity and higher farm incomes;
(5) To provide more vigorous and systematic land resettlement program and public
land distribution; and
(6) To make the small farmers more independent, self-reliant and responsible
citizens, and a source of genuine strength in our democratic society.
 AGRARIAN REFORM EFFORTS UNDER MARCOS
 Republic Act No. 6389 (Code of Agrarian Reform) and R.A.
No. 6390 of 1971 created the Department of Agrarian
Reform and the Agrarian Reform Special Account Fund
and expanded the scope of agrarian reform.
 P.D. 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 DAR.
 P.D. No. 27, October 21, 1972, restricted the land reform
scope to tenanted rice and corn lands and set the
retention limit at 7 hectares.
 PRIMARY SOURCE: PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
NO. 27, 21 OCTOBER 1972
This hall apply to tenant farmers of private agricultural lands primarily devoted to rice and corn under a system
of sharecrop or lease-tenancy, whether classified as landed estate or not;
The tenant farmer whether in land classified as landed estate or not, shall be deemed owner of a portion
constituting a family-size farm of hectares if not irrigated and three hectares if irrigated;
In all cases, the landowner may retain an area of not more than seven hectares if such landowners is cultivating
such area or will now cultivate it;
For the purpose of determining the cost of the land to be transferred to the tenant-farmer pursuant to this Decree,
the value of the land shall be equivalent to two and one-half times the average harvest of three normal crop years
immediately preceding the promulgation of this Decree;
The total cost of the land, including interest at the rate if six per centum per annum, shall be paid by the tenant in
fifteen years of fifteen equal annual amortizations;
In case of default, the amortization due shall be paid by the farmers’ cooperative in which the defaulting tenant-
farmer is a member, with the cooperative having a right of recourse against him;
The government shall guaranty such amortizations with shares of stock in government-owned and government –
controlled corporations;
No title to the land owned by the tenant-farmers under this Decree shall be actually issued to a tenant-farmer
unless and until the tenant-farmer has become a full-fledged member of a duly recognized farmers’ cooperative;
Title to land acquired pursuant to this Decree or the Land Reform Program of the Government shall not be
transferable except by hereditary succession or to the Government in accordance with the provisions of this
Decree, the Code of Agrarian Reforms and other existing laws and regulations;
The Department of Agrarian Reform through its Secretary is hereby empowered to promulgate rules and
regulations for the implementation of this decree.
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO (1986-1992)
 Executive Order No. 228, July 16, 1987, which declare full land
ownership to qualified farmer-beneficiaries covered by P.D. 27
 Executive Order No. 229, July 22, 1987, provided the mechanism for
the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program (CARP).
 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 P50 billion to cover the estimated cost of the program from
1987-1992.
 Executive Order No. 129-A, July 26, 1987, which streamlined and
expanded the power and operations of the DAR.
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO (1986-1992)
 Republic Act No. 6657, also know as 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.
 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.
 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.
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT FIDEL V. RAMOS (1992-1998)
 Republic Act No. 7881 OF 1995, this law amended certain provisions of
RA 6657 and exempted fishponds and prawns from CARP coverage.
 Republic Act No. 7905 of 1995, which strengthened CARP
implementation
 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
 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 adequate, focused and rational delivery of
necessary support services, appropriating funds therefor and for
purposes.
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRESIDENT FIDEL V. RAMOS (1992-1998)
 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 P 50 billion for CARP and
extended its implementation for another 10 years.
PRES. JOSEPH ESTRADA (1998-2000)
 Executive Order NO. 151, September 1999 (Farmers’ Trust Fund),
established the famers trust development program and provided
institutional reforms and funds mechanisms for mobilizing long
term private sector capital for rural development.
 Magkabalikat Para sa Kaunlarang Agraryo or MAGKASAKA
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRES. JOSEPH ESTRADA (1998-2000)
 Agrikulturang Maka Masa achieved an ouput growth of 6%, which
lowered the inflation rate from 11% in January 1999 to just a little
over 3 % by November 1999.
PRES. GLORIA MACPAGAL ARROYO
 Executive Order No. 379 s 2004, September 27, 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. Supervise and control the Philippine
Commission on Urban Poor PCUP, responsible for the recognition of
the ownership of ancestral domain by indigenous people, under the
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples NCIP
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRES. GLORIA MACPAGAL ARROYO
 Memorandum Circular No. 4 s of 2003 operationalized the
development of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Agrarian Zones
(KAlAHI ARZones)
 Republic Act No.9700 s 2009, an act strengthening the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program extending the acquisition
and distribution of all agricultural lands, instituting necessary
reforms, amending for the purpose certain provisions of republic act
no. 6657, otherwise known as the comprehensive agrarian reform
law of 1988.
 POST – 1986 AGRARIAN REFORM
PRES. BENIGNO SIMEON AQUINO
 Developed a plan of action for the implementation of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reform
(CARPER) 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.