PLLO DRAFT AS OF 26 OCTOBER 2022

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2
3 Republic of the Philippines
4 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
5 Quezon City, Metro Manila
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7 NINETEENTH CONGRESS
8 First Regular Session
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10
11 HOUSE BILL NO. ____________

Introduced by ________________________

12 AN ACT
13 EMANCIPATING AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES FROM THE DEBT BURDEN
14 ARISING FROM THE AWARD OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS UNDER THE
15 COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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17 Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
18 Congress assembled:
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20
21 SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This shall be known as the “New Agrarian Emancipation Act”.
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23 SECTION 2. Condonation of the Agrarian Reform Debt. - The existing loan of Agrarian
24 Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) due to unpaid amortization or interest shall be condoned and
25 written off. All unpaid amortizations and interests, including penalties or surcharges, if any,
26 due from loans secured under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) or
27 from other agrarian reform programs or laws are hereby condoned by the Government,
28 relieving all ARBs from the payment thereof, thereby repealing Section 26 of Republic Act
29 No. 6657, as amended, Section 6 of Executive Order No. 228, series of 1987, as well as
30 the pertinent provisions of other agrarian reform laws. Provided That, the Department of
31 Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall thereafter issue, whenever necessary, a Certificate of
32 Condonation which shall be annotated on the Emancipation Patent (EP), Certificate of Land
33 Ownership Award (CLOA), or on any other title based on the applicable agrarian reform law.
34 Provided further, That condonation as provided herein shall lift all mortgage liens in favor of
35 the National Government, as represented by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP),
36 attached to the land acquired. Provided finally, That such condonation shall be in
37 accordance with the applicable banking laws and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng
38 Pilipinas.
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40 SECTION 3. Termination of Payment of Compensation by ARBs Under Voluntary Land
41 Transfer and Direct Payment Schemes. – The Government shall subrogate the ARBS on
42 their financial obligation to pay the value of the awarded land to the landowners acquired
43 under the voluntary land transfer and direct payment schemes, thereby amending Section
44 20 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended. Payment of the remaining balance of the
45 compensation due the concerned landowners under the voluntary land transfer and direct
46 payment schemes, if any, shall be paid by the Government from the Agrarian Reform Fund
47 through the LBP.
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49 SECTION 4 . Broadened Scope of Support Services to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries under
50 the CARP. - In addition to the support services available to the ARBs under Section 37 of
51 R.A. No. 6657, as amended, the DAR, together with the Presidential Agrarian Reform
52 Council (PARC), shall ensure that support services and assistance indispensable to
53 agricultural productivity and resiliency, enterprise development, and financial literacy of the
54 ARBs, as well as to the need for sustenance, dwelling, clothing, medical assistance,
55 education, transportation, among others, of such beneficiaries and their families, shall be
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56 provided. Any form of support services rendered by any banking or financial institution for
57 the benefit of the beneficiaries and their families shall be deemed a form of support under
58 the Agrarian Reform Program thereby amending Section 37 of Republic Act No. 6657, as
59 amended.
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61 This Section is without prejudice to the support services available to ARBs from other
62 National Government Agencies, and shall not be construed as alternative compliance to
63 Republic Act No. 10000 otherwise known as the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009.
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65 SECTION 5. Preference to Credit Facilities and Support Services for Beneficiaries with Paid
66 Amortizations. - ARBs who have completed payment of the amortization schedule and the
67 payment of interest charges under Section 26 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended,
68 Section 6 of Executive Order No. 228 of 1987, and other agrarian reform laws shall be given
69 preference in the provision of support services and access to credit facilities.
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71 SECTION 6. Issuance of Agrarian Reform Title. - The proper Registry of Deeds shall
72 register the Emancipation Patent, the Certificate of Land Ownership Award, or any other
73 title based on the applicable agrarian reform law within sixty (60) days from the issuance of
74 the title in the name of the Republic of the Philippines. It shall likewise annotate the Notice
75 of Condonation, on all the affected EPs, CLOAs, or any other titles based on the applicable
76 agrarian reform law within sixty (60) days from its issuance by the DAR.
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78 SECTION 7. Restitution of the Agrarian Reform Award Forfeited Solely due to Non-Payment
79 of Annual Amortization and Interest. - Any pending administrative or judicial case involving
80 the forfeiture by the DAR of the agrarian reform award solely due to the failure of an ARB to
81 pay the thirty (30)-year amortization plus six percent (6%) annual interest shall immediately
82 be dismissed motu proprio, by the office or the court. The execution of a final and executory
83 administrative or judicial case decision due to the failure of an ARB to pay the 30-year
84 amortization plus 6% annual interest resulting in the disqualification of the ARB, the
85 cancellation of the agrarian reform title, the extinguishment of the rights of possession and
86 ownership of the awarded land, as well as the removal of the person from the awarded land
87 or the dismantling of any improvements found therein, shall be immediately terminated, the
88 agrarian reform award immediately restored, and the forfeiture of decision accordingly
89 reversed. Any agrarian reform title cancelled as a result of the final and executory
90 administrative or judicial case decision shall immediately be reconstituted. In the event that
91 the agricultural land has already been awarded to another beneficiary, the DAR shall as far
92 as equitable award another land to the disqualified ARB.
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94 SECTION 8. Disqualification of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries due to Acts and Omissions
95 Constituting Violations of Agrarian Reform Laws. - Any person convicted by final
96 judgment of any of the prohibited acts and omissions under Sec. 73 and meted any of
97 the penalties under Sec. 74 of RA. No. 6657, as amended, is disqualified to avail of the
98 benefits under this Act. Disqualification also results for any determination by final judgment
99 that the ARB, in violation of Sec. 22 of R.A. No. 6657, as amended, willfully refused to
100 make the awarded land as productive as possible or deliberately neglected or abandoned
101 the awarded land continuously for a period of two (2) calendar years. Provided, That non-
102 cultivation of the land due to non-installation of the ARBs, threats by other stakeholders or
103 entities, lack of facilities and support services, or situations or conditions beyond the control
104 of the ARBs not due to their fault or actuations shall not be considered as either neglect,
105 abandonment, or grounds for disqualification.
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107 To this effect, the DAR shall thoroughly investigate and revalidate allegations that will
108 constitute disqualification under this Section, in a manner that will be construed liberally in the
109 favor of the ARBs.
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111 SECTION 9. Right of the Landowner to Just Compensation. - It is indispensable that a
112 landowner whose land has been acquired and distributed to qualified beneficiaries under
113 the CARP is paid just compensation. Nothing herein shall diminish the right of landowners
114 to be justly compensated for their agricultural lands acquired under the said program.
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116 SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DAR, in coordination with the
117 Executive Committee of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC ExCom), with the
118 technical assistance of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), shall, within sixty (60)
119 days from the effectivity of this Act, formulate the necessary Implementing Rules and
120 Regulations.
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122 SECTION 11. Agency Support. - All other government offices and agencies are directed to
123 render such prompt and necessary assistance, subject to applicable laws, rules and
124 regulations, to fully implement the provisions of this Act.
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126 SECTION 12. Funding. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
127 charged against the Agrarian Reform Fund, as certified by the Bureau of Treasury, and the
128 inclusion thereof in the Annual General Appropriations Act shall be subject to the existing
129 budgeting process, rules and regulations, and to such other funds as may subsequently be
130 authorized by Congress.
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132 SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, issuances or parts thereof
133 inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified
134 accordingly.
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136 SECTION 14. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional,
137 the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and
138 effect.
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140 SECTION 15. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect upon its publication in the Official
141 Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

142 Approved.