Overview
This lecture covers the history and evolution of agrarian and land reform in the Philippines, tracing major laws, changes in land tenure, and government programs from the pre-colonial era to the present.
Pre-Spanish and Spanish Periods
- Pre-Spanish Filipinos lived in barangays led by datus, with a hierarchy including nobles, freemen, and slaves.
- The Spanish introduced the encomienda system, granting lands to loyal Spanish subjects (encomienderos).
- Agrarian unrest arose due to land grabbing by religious orders, leading to revolts like the 1745-46 Batangas uprising.
First Philippine Republic and American Period
- The 1899 Malolos Constitution aimed to confiscate large estates, especially lands owned by friars.
- The American era brought the Philippine Bill of 1902, limiting landownership to 16 hectares (private) and 1,024 hectares (corporations).
- Land Registration Act of 1902 (Torrens System) aimed for proper land titling but faced implementation issues due to costs and lack of awareness.
- Public Land Acts (1933) regulated tenant-landowner relations, including a 50-50 crop-sharing rule.
Commonwealth and Japanese Occupation
- President Quezon’s government promoted social justice and enacted key agrarian laws to reduce rural unrest.
- The 1935 Constitution made social justice and economic security a state concern.
- Laws regulated landlord-tenant relationships, set prices for rice/corn, and created agencies to manage hacienda leases and settlements.
- During WWII, the HUKBALAHAP, a peasant guerrilla group, redistributed lands in Central Luzon.
Post-Independence Land Reform (Roxas to Quirino)
- Persistent land tenure issues led to revised tenancy laws after 1946.
- Republic Act 34 established a 70-30 crop-sharing system and regulated tenancy contracts.
- Republic Act 55 protected tenants from arbitrary eviction.
- LASEDECO replaced the National Land Settlement Administration for improved settlement and equipment management.
Modern Agrarian Reform (Ramos to Duterte)
- Ramos: Republic Acts 7881, 7905, 8435, and 8532 amended CARP, modernized agriculture, and provided funding.
- Estrada: E.O. 151 established the Farmers Trust Fund; output growth and inflation improvements were noted.
- Arroyo: E.O. 379 transformed DAR, launched KALAHI zones, and RA 9700 extended CARP.
- Aquino III: Pushed CARPER for further reforms, involving multiple stakeholder groups.
- Duterte: PARC emphasized land tenure in national agenda; over 516,000 hectares distributed to 405,800 farmers.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Encomienda — Spanish system of royal land grants to loyal subjects.
- Torrens System — Land titling system providing legal ownership certificates.
- Tenant — A person who cultivates land owned by another and shares the produce or pays rent.
- CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) — Major Philippine land reform initiative launched in 1988.
- CARPER — Extension and reform of CARP to address unresolved issues.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review major laws (Acts, Executive Orders) mentioned for details on implementation and impact.
- Study the evolution of land relations across regimes for exam contexts or essay questions.