AGRARIAN

RELATIONS AND
THE FRIAR
LANDS
Brief Background
THE DISPOSITION OF THE
FRIAR LANDS
 When the Americans took over the Philippines from 300
years of Spanish rule in 1898, among the first problems
that confronted the new colonizer was the disposition of
the so-called friar lands.
THE LANDS ACQUIRED BY
THE FRIARS
The Augustinians, Dominicans, Jesuits and other
religious orders were all holders, administrators and
owners of vast tracts of land in different parts of the
country during the Spanish colonial period.
 FRIAR LANDS

They owned estates comprising thousands of hectares.

Most of these lands were agricultural and tilled by native
Filipinos who themselves did not own lands.
 Some of these religious orders were practically landlords
during the Spanish colonial period.
HACIENDA DE SAN JUAN
BAUTISTA
It was the loudest expression
of native peasant discontent
In the province of Laguna in
this far Spanish colony.

The dispute of this territory of

what is now Calamba involved
the respected Rizal family.
 RIZAL’S
PARTICIPATION IN
THE CALAMBA LAND
DISPUTE
 CONFLI
CTS
 unreasonable increased of rentals Financial hardships
 land confiscation
 other exploitative practices

Poor harvests
Crops destroyed
WHAT DID RIZAL DO?
Investigation to the controversial fertile
lands owned by the Dominican friars.
Submitted to the colonial government.
 FINDINGS OF HIS
INVESTIGATION
1. The hacienda of the Dominican Order comprised not only the lands
around Calamba, but also the town of Calamba.
2. The profits of the Dominican Order continually increased
3. The hacienda owner never contributed a single centavo for the celebration
of the town fiesta, for the education of the children, and for the improvement
of agriculture.
4. Tenants, who had spent much labor in clearing the lands, were
dispossessed of said lands for flimsy reasons.
5. High rates of interests were charged the tenants for delayed payment of
rentals, and when the rentals could not be paid, the hacienda management
confiscated their carabaos, tools, and homes.
 1887

 Friars (Spanish priests from religious congregations )

 They hated Rizal because of his involvement in the investigation on the land problem of
Calamba, Laguna
1890
 The landowning friars filed a suit against the tenants.
 Dispossessed of their land after the Court of Madrid issued its conclusion in
favor of the Dominican Order.

 This is because of the refusal of

Don Francisco Mercado, father
of Dr. Rizal, to pay the land rents
because the hacienda
management continually raised
the cost of the rental.
 BORNEO COLONIZATION PROJECT
Filipino settlement in the island of Borneo
During the British protectorate.
Rizal wanted to move landless Filipinos to North Borneo
(Sabah)
Lands offered by the British North Borneo Company
100,000 acres, good government for 999 years and free of
all charges.
BORNEO COLONIZATION PROJECT
 Governor-General Eulogio Despujol
He rejected the project
immigration to Borneo was contrary to the
interest of Spanish colonial rule.
 LA SOLIDARIDAD
LOS AGRICULTURES
FILIPINOS OR “THE
FILIPINO FARMERS”.
one of the earliest articles
Rizal depicted the shameful
conditions of the Filipino
farmers in the Philippines
 LA SOLIDARIDAD
LOS AGRICULTURES
FILIPINOS OR “THE
FILIPINO FARMERS”.
 Forced Labor and the Constabulary (civil
guards) also contributed to the problems of
the farmers
 Polo y servicio- abusive economic colonial
institution
 Farmers were accused by civil guards of
violating certain regulations because accused
were forced to clean the barracks
La Liga Filipina, 1892
 LA LIGA FILIPINA
It is a progressive organization created by Dr. José Rizal in the Philippines

 July 3, 1892 in Tondo, Manila

 It is for Filipinos that aimed for national unity, reforms and defense against
violence and injustice.
 One of its aims or objectives was to encourage instruction, agriculture and
commerce. Clearly, he believed that a developed agricultural sector is a
requirement to a genuine social and economic progress.
 A nation like the Philippines, primarily an agricultural country, can never achieve
a genuine material progress if its agricultural sector is neglected and undeveloped.
Rizal wanted that his stillborn organization could provide assistance to the
Filipino farmers, and pursue technical improvements in agriculture.