Agrarian Reform

●​ Relationship between production and distribution of lands to farmers

●​ Change of the whole agricultural system
●​ Concerned not only with the distribution of land but also distribution of raw materials
●​ General agricultural practice
○​ Crop rotation
○​ Mechanization
Land Reform
●​ A chance for tenant farmers to own the land that they cultivate
●​ Addresses the tenancy of Farmers
●​ Ensures that all crops will be profited by the farmers
●​ Apportionment of land
●​ Transfer of land from Upper-Class owners (rich) to the lower class (poor farmers)

Farmer Land Ownership

●​ Has a direct effect on the economy
●​ Lower prices of produce
●​ More income for farmers

Pre-colonial Period
●​ Native Filipinos view Agricultural Land as Communal
○​ There was no private ownership of the land
●​ Communities were divided into Barangays
○​ Ruled by Datus or Noblemen
■​ Maharlikas or freemen
■​ Aliping mamamahay - Serfs
■​ Aliping Saguiguilid - Slaves
○​ Rice served as barter
Spanish Colonial Period

Pueblo Agriculture
●​ Natives were divided into pueblos or villages
●​ Each Christianized family was given 4-5 hectares of Land
●​ Practice no sharecropper class or landless class
●​ Natives were landholders not landowners
●​ All land belonged to the Spanish Crown
●​ Tributes were paid in the form of agricultural products

Law of Indies (16th Century)

●​ Royal Land Grants
●​ The entire body of laws established by the Spanish Crown to rule their
Colonies such as the Philippines and Mexico
●​ Origin of Agricultural Tenancy
●​ Awarding of land to;
1.​ A friar
●​ Religious Orders
2.​ Repartimentos
●​ Granted to the Military as a reward for their service
●​ Reward for the honor they gave to the crown
●​ Like polo y Servicio
●​ Distribution/partition/division
●​ Any forced labor is justified inorder to provide for the colony’s needs
○​ Agricultural needs
3.​ Encomienda System (17th Century)
●​ Comes from the word Encomienda which means to entrust
●​ Philippines was divided into territories or Pueblos (Indigenous Communities)
headed by encomienderos
●​ A large tract of land was given to Enciomenderos to manage and have the
right to receive tributes from the natives cultivating it
●​ Enciomenderos
○​ A soldier, official or conquistador
○​ Tasked in protecting and keeping peace in the land granted to him
○​ Mandated to manage the Enciomenda
○​ He was also tasked in guiding the people within his encomienda in the
Christian Faith
●​ Natives became mere tillers working for a share of crops
 ○​ They were also forced to render services outside of farming
○​ They were mandated to provide tribute to the Enciomenderos in the
form of Agricultural products
■​ But this later transformed into the rent
●​ Seemingly a landlord-tenant relationship
●​ The rule of the Encomienderos became exploitative and abusive
○​ They abused their power
○​ They were no longer accomplishing their responsibilities in protecting
their people and land
●​ Compras y Vandalas
○​ Tillers were forced to sell their product at a very low price to the
Spaniards or Encomienderos

In response to the Inefficacy of the Encomienda System

-​ 2 laws were proposed by the Spanish Crown

1.​ The Law of Burgos (1512)

○​ Addressed the abuses by the encomenderos
■​ Attempted to limit the jurisdiction of the Encomienderos
○​ Protect the rights of Indigenous communities
■​ Guidelines set for the treatment of Indigenous laborers
2.​ New Laws of the Indies (1542)
○​ Sought to strengthen and expand the regulations introduced by the
Law of Burgos
○​ Set stricter limits on the power of Encomienderos
○​ Establishment of the OFFICE OF PROTECTOR DE LOS INDIOS
■​ To oversee the enforcement of Indigenous rights
End of Encomienda System
●​ 1834
●​ Transition into the Hacienda System at the beginning of the 19th century

Hacienda System (18th Century)

●​ This can be traced back to the Spanish Reconquista Period
●​ Military conquest led to the gradual acquisition of land
●​ Large land was awarded to nobles or Hacienderos
●​ Fast-tracked entry into the Capitalist world
●​ The Philippines became an exporter of raw goods and materials
●​ Emerged as a dominant form of land ownership and labor arrangement in the
Philippines
●​ Lands were owned by wealthy landowners
○​ Known as Hacienderos
■​ Employed tenant farmers & agricultural workers
●​ Large-scale agricultural enterprises
Hacienda Luisita
●​ Established in the 19th century
●​ Owned by the Cojuangco’s
●​ Utilized seasonal workers
●​ 2004
○​ Protests by Farmers and Mill workers
■​ Brought national attention to the estate
○​ The Supreme Court ordered the distribution of 5000 hectares
■​ A significant step in Land reform

Encomienda System vs. Hacienda System

●​ The Encomienda System granted Spaniards the right to mandate labor and collect
tribute from the indigenous communities while the Hacienda System focused on land
ownership and permanent agricultural production as well as entry into the global
capitalist world.

Other Spanish Policies and Laws

1.​ Ley Hipotecaria/ Mortgage Law of 1893
●​ Systematic registration of titles and deeds
●​ Ownership Claims
●​ More of a law on the registration of properties

2.​ Maura Law/ Royal Decree of 1894

●​ Last Spanish Land Law
●​ Philippine Farmers and Landowners were given 1 year to register their agricultural
land to avoid declaration of the land as state/government property
●​ Registration of Land Holdings
●​ Many poor farmers were not aware of the policy
●​ Unclaimed lands were taken by the Spaniards
3.​ Inquilinos
○​ Friar’s tax
○​ Despite low wages, taxes were still implement
○​ Further burying the Farmers in debt
Other Key Concepts
●​ Post Colonization??

Free Trade
●​ Agreement between countries to make imports and exports easier
●​ By removal of government tariffs, quotas, sides, or prohibitions
●​ May be referred to as ‘Laissez-faire trade’ or trade liberalization
○​ Removal of the government’s involvement in the trade process
○​ I.e removal of tariffs
○​ Reduction/abolishment of customs duties of import/export products with trade
countries
○​ Laissez-faire is the abstention by governments from interfering in the
workings of the free market.
●​ Elimination or reduction of Barriers to trade;
○​ Tariffs - taxation on imports
○​ Quotas - limits on the amount of goods imported
●​ Allowsgoods and services to flow more freely between nations

Kinds of Free Trade Agreement

1.​ Unilateral
●​ Benefits one country only
●​ Commerce treaty
●​ Not open to negotiation
2.​ Bilateral
●​ Exchange agreement between 2 nations or trading groups
●​ Each party enjoys privileges and benefits
●​ Sets purchase guarantees, removes tariffs and other trade barriers
●​ Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement
3.​ Multilateral
●​ Are commerce treaties between two or more nations
●​ Reduce tariffs
●​ Makes imports and exports easier
●​ Difficult to negotiate due to many benefactors
Inflation
●​ The rate at which prices increase over a given period of time
●​ An overall increase of prices and an overall increase of cost of living in a country
●​ Philippines inflation causes;
○​ Disturbances in the Agricultural Food Supply
○​ Movements in the international oil supply
●​ Economics
○​ Increase in the average price of goods and services
●​ A rise in prices which in turn reduces the purchasing power of a nation
●​ Current Inflation Trends
●​ Reduced tariffs on Rice imports from 35% to 15%
●​ Launching programs such as;
○​ KADIWA ng Pangulo
○​ Rice for All
■​ Policies enacted by Marcos Jr.
■​ Had lowered inflation rates of rice
■​ Lowered price of rice

Economic Liberalization
●​ Encompasses the process that promote free trade, deregulation, elimination of
subsidies, price controls and rationing systems
●​ Downsizing or privatization of public services
●​ Unrestricted capital flowing in and out
●​ Boosting economic growth and efficiency
●​ Promotion of Foreign investment

In the Philippines
●​ Economic Liberalization entails Reduction of government controls and restrictions on
economic activities, trade, and business operations
●​ Aiming to promote free market, competition, and private sector participation

Economic Liberalization Policies

1.​ Trade Liberalization

-​ Reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers to encourage international trade
2.​ deregulation
-​ Removing government regulations & restrictions on businesses
3.​ privatization
-​ selling state-owned enterprises to private companies
4.​ Investment Liberalization
-​ Removing restrictions on foreign investments
Historical Context
Economic Liberalization
-​ Policies started to be implemented in the early 1980s
1980S
-​ After many years of Protectionist policies
-​ Measures that a country uses to protect its industries and business
-​ Protecting local industries
-​ The Philippines decided to open up its economy
-​ Lowering taxes on foreign goods
-​ Reducing restrictions on imports
Trade Liberalization Program
-​ Started in 1981
-​ Under Cory Aquino
-​ Aimed at reducing industrial protection through high tariffs and import regulations
-​ Lowered tariffs and liberalizing imports
1983
-​ Reforms were interrupted due to the economic recession
1986
-​ Liberalization of trade and economy resumed

President Corazon Aquino

-​ 1986 - 1992
-​ Entered the World Trade Organization
-​ Philippines began reducing trade barriers
-​ Initiated economic reforms
1995 - 2000
-​ General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Gatt)
-​ WTO agreements
-​ Lower tariffs
-​ Reduced trade restrictions
2000s - present
-​ Progressive liberalization of sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services
while engaging in Trade Agreements
-​ AFTA
-​ Asean Free Trade Area
-​ CPTPP

Rice Tariffication Law or Republic Act 11203

-​ 2019
-​ Amended previous laws limiting the amount of rice to be imported in the country
-​ Imports are no longer limited on quantity but are subjected to tariffs
-​ Liberalization of Rice Imports
-​ ASEAN countries at 35% tariffs
-​ Some of the tariffs are directed to a fund to help farmers
-​ This law was modified by Marcos jr. in his term - tariffs lowered to 15%
-​ Lowered inflation rates???
Policies on Agrarian Reform

What is Agrarian Reform

●​ The change in the whole agricultural system
●​ Relationship between production and land distribution to farmers
●​ Concerned not only with the distribution of land but also the distribution of raw
materials/products
●​ General Agricultural practices
●​ Involves the introduction of crop rotation and implementation of mechanization

Evolution of Agrarian Reform in the Philippines

Historical backgrounds
1.​ Pre-colonial Period
2.​ Spanish Colonial Period
3.​ The first Philippine Republic
4.​ American Period
5.​ Commonwealth Period
6.​ Japanese Occupation
7.​ Philippine Republic
-​ The policies of presidents
-​ Manuel Quezon to Duterte

The First Philippine Republic

●​ When the First Philippine Republic was established in 1899
●​ General Emilio Aguinaldo declared in the Malolos Constitution (1896)
○​ His intention to confiscate large estates, especially the so-called friar estates
●​ The revolutionary government declared that all land will be taken back and declared
government property
●​ However, the government was short-lived due to the American Colonization
The American Period
-​ Americans recognized that the root of revolts was related to Agricultural Land
-​ They sought to settle Land conflicts with Land reforms
-​ They introduced several policies such as;
-​ Increased in small landholders
-​ Distribution of land to a greater number of Filipino tenants and Farmers

Land Laws & Policies during the American Period

1.​ The Philippine Bill of 1902
-​ Regulations for the Disposal of Public Lands
-​ Private individuals/owners may own up to 16 hectares
-​ Big corporations/ Land Holders may own up to 1,024 Hectares
-​ Americans were given the right to own agricultural land
2.​ Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act 496)
-​ Provided for comprehensive Land registration under the Torrens System
-​ Introduction of Torrens System
-​ A method of Land Registration
-​ Enacted to address the absence of earlier records of issued land titles
-​ Conduct accurate land surveys
-​ Replaced the Ley Hipotecaria and Maura Law
-​ Helped 400,000 landless farmers
3.​ Cadastal Act (​ Act No. 2259)
-​ Sped up the issuance of Torrens Titles
-​ Surveying a Municipality and presenting the results to a Land Registration Court
-​ Due to a lack of resources, many land remained unregistered
-​ No knowledge
-​ No money
4.​ Public Land Act of 1903
-​ Introduction of Homestead System/Program
-​ Allows a tenant to acquire 16 hectares of land and enter the agricultural
business
-​ All aspiring tenants could own 16 hectares with the goal of enterprising or
agricultural business
-​ Was not implemented nationwide
-​ Only in Mindanao and Northern Luzon
-​ Colonial penetration was difficult
5.​ Rice Share / Sugar Cane Tenancy Act of 1933
-​ Because of the selling of lands, many farmers could still not afford land titles
-​ They were forced to remain tenant farmers
-​ This enabled more land to be placed under tenancy
-​ As a way to mediate social injustices
-​ Americans regulated the Tenant-landlord relationship
-​ They mandated a 50-50 sharing between tenant and landlord
6.​ The Friar’s Land Act 1904
-​ Land acquired by Friars or religious orders was confiscated by Americans and sold
off
-​ The money earned were not given back to Filipinos
Consequences of American Unfair Government
●​ Revolts
●​ Millenarian Movement
○​ Many farmers believed that change could happen through militancy
○​ A belief that a fundamental change is coming
●​ Peasant Uprisings
○​ Colorum
○​ Sakdalista
■​ Northern Luzon and Mindanao
○​ Gave birth to the Communist Party of the Philippines

Commonwealth Period
“Government of Filipinos”

Commonwealth Government
●​ The landlord-tenant relationship became more desperate
●​ Situations were becoming more exploitative
●​ Absentee landlordism increased

President Manuel L. Quezon

●​ Saw the need for land reform programs
●​ He sought to purchase Friar Lands/ Haciendas
○​ As a possible way to solve landlessness
●​ He also viewed the Homestead Program as a possible Resettlement program
●​ He laid down ‘The Social Justice Program”
○​ To settle the rising social unrest among peasant farmers

Policies & Legislations in the Commonwealth Period

1.​ 1935 Constitution
●​ The promotion of social justice to ensure the well-being and economic security of all
people should be the concern of the State”
2.​ Commonwealth Act No.178
●​ An amendment to Rice Tenancy Act No. 4045
●​ 1936
●​ Provided certain controls to the Landlord-tenant relationship
○​ Regulations and limitations?
3.​ Commonwealth Act No. 461
●​ Tenancy Division of the Department of Justice
●​ Regulations on the dismissal of Tenant
●​ Specified reasons for dismissal
●​ Stated that it requires approval from the T.D of DOJ
4.​ Commonwealth Act No. 441
○​ June 3 1939
●​ Created the National Land Settlement Administration
○​ Capital Stock of 20 million pesos
○​ Homestead Program
●​ To afford farmers the chance to own the land they cultivate
 5.​ Commonwealth Act No. 608
●​ Establish the security of tenure between landlord and tenant.
●​ It prohibited the common practice among landowners of ejecting tenants without
clear legal grounds
●​ Dismissal is upon legal basis
●​ Amendment of Act 461
●​ CIR having jurisdiction over the appeals
6.​ His Administration Established;
a.​ NARIC - National Rice and Corn Corporation
-​ Established the price of rice and corn
-​ Help poor tenants and consumers
-​ 1937
b.​ Court of Agrarian Relations/ Court of Industrial Relations
-​ Exercise jurisdiction over disagreements arising over landowners and
tenants
-​ Public defenders assigned to defend tenants
7.​ Rural Program Administration
-​ March 2, 1939
-​ Provided the purchase and lease of haciendas
-​ And their sale to the tenants
Japanse Period
-​ 1941
-​ WWII
-​ Manuel Quezon’s administration was put on hold and his plans were hindered’
HUKBALAHAP
-​ Hukbo ng Bayan Lapan sa Mga Hapones
-​ Farmers were a part of the movement/revolution
-​ Anti-japanese groups
-​ Pro-japanese landowners were kicked out of power/their lands
-​ Tenant farmers gained favorable rights
-​ Fixed rentals

The Philippine Republic

-​ The new republic
-​ Starting with President Manuel A. Roxas to Rodrigo Duterte
-​ Ramon Magsaysay
-​ Man of the Masses
-​ Corazon Aquino
-​ CARP