Agrarian Reform in the Philippines

Redistribution of land, combined with support programs like credit, infrastructure, and education.

In the Philippines, prior to colonization, land was often communally owned instead of privately.

A long history of changes in land ownership, spanning pre-colonial times to the present.

Pre-colonial Philippine communities where the concept of communal land ownership developed.

Powerful leaders in pre-colonial Philippine communities who held influence over land distribution.

A system in pre-colonial Philippines similar to medieval Europe where the datu had significant control over land.

A reform to help tenants get more secure access to land and to help stabilize rent.

A reform focusing on redistributing land ownership.

Pre-colonial Philippines had a system recognizing both private and communal land ownership. Unequal distribution led to a tenancy system.

Spanish system of granting the right to collect tributes from natives in exchange for protection, defense, and support for missionaries.

Spanish individuals given the right to collect tributes under encomienda system. Became early hacienda owners.

Spanish colonization shifted land system to private ownership, creating Spanish land titles. Filipinos' limited knowledge led to elites claiming communal lands.

A practice where Filipino farmers mortgaged their lands for loans, often leading to loss of ownership and tenancy.

Land sales by smaller landowners to wealthy buyers at unfair prices, making them tenants on their own lands.

Land being taken from Filipinos through bribes and manipulation of Spanish legal systems.

The colonial government took the place of the datus, and the datus were now called cabezas de barangay. However, the encomenderos held real power in the community.

During the Spanish era, land ownership was divided among friars, Spanish proprietors, mestizos, and native Filipinos with small landholdings.

Friars leased their large estates to inquilinos, who then hired tenants for farming.

Most peasants didn't own land titles during the Spanish era because they lacked understanding of the laws; this led to exploitation.

The new government attempted to seize large estates, especially friar lands, post-revolution, but failed due to the Republic's short lifespan.

The tribute system in practice became land rent demands from few powerful landowners.

A key event leading to the establishment of the first Philippine Republic.

Efforts to confiscate lands, particularly those belonging to friars, following the Philippine Revolution, but these efforts proved insufficient.

The 1930s in the Philippines saw significant political and economic instability due to peasant uprisings, highlighting the challenges of land ownership and distribution.

The Commonwealth government implemented reforms like the National Land Settlement Administration and the Rural Progress Administration to encourage small land ownership and prevent tenant ejection. The Rice Share Tenancy Act aimed to ensure a fairer share of harvest between landowners and tenants.

Many of the Commonwealth's reforms were ineffective due to lack of support and loopholes. The Rice Share Tenancy Act faced resistance from landowners who dominated provincial councils, hindering its enforcement.

President Manuel L. Quezon's 'Social Justice' program aimed to address growing social unrest in Central Luzon by promoting economic security for all Filipinos.

The 1935 Constitution stated that promoting social justice to ensure the well-being and economic security of all people should be a priority for the State.

During the Japanese occupation, the monopolistic power of the landholding elite weakened due to food production declines. This shifted the focus towards farmers, increasing their recognition in society and the agrarian sector.

This amendment to the Rice Tenancy Act aimed to provide more control over landlord-tenant relationships.

Established in 1936, NARIC aimed to help poor tenants and consumers by regulating the prices of rice and corn.

Historically, the Philippines had stark land inequality. This meant a few people owned most of the land, while many farmers were left with little or no land.