Land Ownership and Agrarian Reform in the Philippines

Land Ownership and Agrarian Reform in the Philippines: A Historical Overview

• Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Filipinos lived in villages ruled by chiefs or datus and were categorized into different classes, including the nobility, freemen, serfs, and slaves.
• The Encomienda System was introduced by the Spaniards, where they granted land and labor rights to Spanish individuals called Encomenderos, who controlled and exploited the Indigenous population, resulting in the suffering and oppression of Indigenous Filipinos.
• The First Philippine Republic established in 1899 aimed to confiscate large estates, especially the so-called Friar lands, to redistribute land to the landless farmers and promote equitable land ownership in the newly independent Philippines.
• The Tenancy Act of 1933 aimed to safeguard the rights and welfare of agricultural tenants by providing measures to prevent abuses and exploitative practices by landowners, such as excessive rents or unreasonable deductions.
• The Land Registration Act of 1902 established a systematic and centralized land registration system to provide legal security and facilitate the transfer and ownership of land.
• President Manuel L. Quezon espoused the "Social Justice" program to address land-related issues, particularly in Central Luzon, advocating for the redistribution of land to landless farmers and tenants to improve their livelihoods.
• The National Rice and Corn Corporation (NARIC) established the price of rice and corn, protecting poor tenants from exploitation by middlemen and ensuring fair compensation for their agricultural produce.
• During the Japanese Occupation, the Hukbalahap controlled areas of Central Luzon, landlords who supported the Japanese lost their lands to peasants while those who supported the Huks earned fixed rentals in favor of the tenants.
• Republic Act No. 34 established the 70-30 sharing arrangements and regulated share-tenancy contracts, ensuring that contracts were written in language understood by both parties with duplicate copies for tenants, owners, and the government.
• Executive Order No. 355 replaced the National Land Settlement Administration with Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO) to take over the responsibilities of the Agricultural Machinery Equipment Corporation and the Rice and Corn Production Administration.
• Republic Act No. 1400 created the Land Tenure Administration (LTA), responsible for the acquisition and distribution of large tenanted rice and corn lands over 200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for corporations.
• President Carlos P. Garcia continued the program of President Ramon Magsaysay, emphasizing the Filipino First Policy to consume our own products. No new legislation passed.