AGRARIAN RELATIONS AND THE FRIAR LANDS

History of the Friar Lands

The existence of Friar Lands in the Philippines can be traced back to the early
Spanish colonial period when Spanish conquistadors (were the explorer-soldiers of the
Spanish and Portuguese Empires) were awarded lands in the form of haciendas for their
loyalty to the Spanish crown. Approximately 120 Spaniards were granted either large
tracts of land called sitio de ganado mayor or smaller tracts called caballerias.

However, the hacienderos, those who owned the haciendas, failed to develop their
lands. One reason is that the Spaniards were not expected to permanently stay in the
Philippines. Many of them returned to Spain once they were done serving in the country.
Also, the livestock market during this time was still small. Thus the Galleon Trade based
in Manila, appealed more to the Spaniards because it offered better economic
opportunities.

Spanish hacienderos were unwilling and unable to utilize their lands. They then sold their
lands to other Spaniards who, in turn sold, mortgaged or donated their estates to the
religious orders. The failure of the Spaniards in owning lands is believed to be
impermanence of Spanish population, absence of mining and other large-scale economic
activities, and high profits in galleon trade (longest running shipping line of its time).
Since the attention of the Spaniards was toward trans-oceanic commerce, ranching and
agriculture were left to the religious orders. The religious orders were able to acquire
donations from those seeking spiritual benefit or purchased from other Spaniard.

The Spanish friars were able to acquire land through whatever means available to
them. According to sources, lands were donated to the friars in exchange for spiritual
favors. Many Filipinos believed that the friars had no titles to the lands they owned
because they acquired them through usurpation and other dubious means.

When the export of agricultural crops started to blossom in the 18th century, the
inquilinato system was put into place. In this system, one who rented land for a fixed
annual amount, an inquilino, was expected to give personal services to the landlords . If
he or she failed to do so, he or she would be expelled from the land. The inquilinos
could also lease the land they were renting from the landlord to a kasama or
sharecropper who would then be responsible for cultivating the land. The inquilinato
system functioned as a three-layered system with the (1) landlords on top, (2) the
inquilinos in the middle, and (3) the kasamas at the bottom.
 HACIENDA DE CALAMBA DISPUTE

The Hacienda de Calamba was originally owned by a Spaniard who donated the land to
Jesuit friars to allow him to permanently stay in the Jesuit monastery. However, since the Jesuits
were expelled from the Philippines, the hacienda went to the possession of the Spanish colonial
government. In 1803, the land was sold to Don Clemente de Azansa.
After his death, it was eventually sold to the Dominicans who claimed ownership of the
hacienda until late 19th century.

Rizal's family became one of the principal inquilinos of the hacienda. They rented one of
the largest leased parcel of land measuring approximately 380 hectares. The main crop was
sugarcane since it was the most in-demand in the world market then. The Rizal family got
their income mainly from the land they rented. However, when conflicts on land ownership
in the hacienda arose in 1883, the family evidently suffered.

However, Spanish
hacenderos

were unwilling and unable to
utilize their lands. They then
sold their lands to
other Spaniards, who, in turn,
sold, mortgaged or donated
their estates to the religious
orders. The failure of the
Spaniards in owning lands is
believed to be because of the
impermanence of spanish
population, absence of mining
and other large-scale
economic
activities, and high profits in
galleon trade (attention to
trans-oceanic commerce).
Since
the attention of the Spaniards
was toward trans-oceanic
commerce, ranching and
agriculture were left to the
religious orders. The religious
orders were able to acquire
However, Spanish
hacenderos

were unwilling and unable to
utilize their lands. They then
sold their lands to
other Spaniards, who, in turn,
sold, mortgaged or donated
their estates to the religious
orders. The failure of the
Spaniards in owning lands is
believed to be because of the
impermanence of spanish
population, absence of mining
and other large-scale
economic
activities, and high profits in
galleon trade (attention to
trans-oceanic commerce).
Since
the attention of the Spaniards
was toward trans-oceanic
commerce, ranching and
agriculture were left to the
religious orders. The religious
orders were able to acquire
However, Spanish
hacenderos

were unwilling and unable to
utilize their lands. They then
sold their lands to
other Spaniards, who, in turn,
sold, mortgaged or donated
their estates to the religious
orders. The failure of the
Spaniards in owning lands is
believed to be because of the
impermanence of spanish
population, absence of mining
and other large-scale
economic
activities, and high profits in
galleon trade (attention to
trans-oceanic commerce).
Since
the attention of the Spaniards
was toward trans-oceanic
commerce, ranching and
agriculture were left to the
religious orders. The religious
orders were able to acquire
However, Spanish
hacenderos

were unwilling and unable to
utilize their lands. They then
sold their lands to
other Spaniards, who, in turn,
sold, mortgaged or donated
their estates to the religious
orders. The failure of the
Spaniards in owning lands is
believed to be because of the
impermanence of spanish
population, absence of mining
and other large-scale
economic
activities, and high profits in
galleon trade (attention to
trans-oceanic commerce).
Since
the attention of the Spaniards
was toward trans-oceanic
commerce, ranching and
agriculture were left to the
religious orders. The religious
orders were able to acquire