midterm philhist.pdf

III. SOCIAL POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ISSUES *Agrarian Reform Policies *The Philippine Constitution: 1899 (Malolos Constitution), 1935 Constitution, 1973 Constitution, 1987 Constitution *Taxation *Filipino Cultural Heritage *Filipino American Relations *Government peace treaties with Muslim-...

III. SOCIAL POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ISSUES *Agrarian Reform Policies *The Philippine Constitution: 1899 (Malolos Constitution), 1935 Constitution, 1973 Constitution, 1987 Constitution *Taxation *Filipino Cultural Heritage *Filipino American Relations *Government peace treaties with Muslim-Filipinos *Institutional history of schools, corporations, industries, religious groups, and the like. INTRODUCTION TO AGRARIAN REFORM AGRICULTURAL TENANCY The physical possession of land by a person for agricultural production, in exchange for sharing the harvest with the landholder or paying a certain price in produce or money. It is classified into leasehold tenancy and share tenancy. SHARE TENANCY Exists whenever two persons agree on a joint undertaking for agricultural production wherein one party furnishes the land and the other his labor, with either or both contributing any one or several of the items of production, the tenant cultivating the land personally with the aid of labor available. LEASTHOLD TENANCY A person who, either personally or with the aid of labor available from members of his/her immediate farm household, undertakes to cultivate a piece of agricultural land susceptible of cultivation by a single person together with members of his/her immediate farm household. TENANT A person who, himself/herself and with the aid available from within his/her immediate farm household, cultivates the land belonging to, or possessed by, another with the latter's consent for purposes of production, sharing the produce with the landholder under the share tenancy system. LANDLORD A person, natural or juridical, who, either as owner, lessee, or legal possessor, lets or grants to another the use or cultivation of his/her land for a consideration either in shares under the share tenancy system, or a price certain or ascertainable under the leasehold tenancy system. AGRARIAN REFORM Agrarian reform can refer either, narrowly, to government-initiated or government-backed redistribution of agricultural land or, broadly, to an overall redirection of the agrarian system of the country, which often includes land reform measures. AGRICULTURAL LAND Refers to land devoted to agricultural activity and not classified as mineral, forest, residential, commercial or industrial land. A. AGRARIAN REFORM ON DIFFERENT ERAS IN THE PHILIPPINES Pre-Colonial Times (Before 16th Century) Land was commonly owned by the community known as barangay. A small unit of government consisting of 30-100 families administered by the chiefs. They practiced the concept of “stewardship” where relationship between man and nature is important. Centuries before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the early Filipinos lived in separate and independent village-states called barangays. Each barangay had its own government headed by a ruler called Datu or Raja. Some barangays were big, such as Sugbo (Cebu),Maktan (Mactan), Bigan (Vigan), and Maynila (Manila). Each of these big barangays had a population of more than 2,000. There was no national government in ancient Philippines. Land cultivation was done commonly by kaingin system or the slash and burn method wherein land was cleared by burning before planting the crops. The Maragtas Code seems to be the only recorded transaction of land sale during the time. This tells us about the selling of the Panay Island by the natives to the ten Bornean datus in exchange of a golden salakot and a long gold necklace. THE SPANISH ERA (1521-1896) The colonial government at this period introduced a pueblo agriculture, a system wherein native rural communities were organized into pueblo. Christianized native family is given a four to five hectares of land to cultivate. The pueblo agriculture practiced no share cropper class or landless class. Native families were landholders and not landowners. By law, the land assigned to them was the property of the Spanish King where they pay their colonial tributes to the Spanish authorities. Friar lands for the religious orders. Repartiamentos for lands granted to the Spanish military as a reward for their service. Encomienda a large tracts of land given to Spaniards. Encomiendero to manage and have the right to receive tributes from the natives tilling it. BANDALA The direct taxes which the citizens were forced to put up their products for sale at a cheap price. POLO Y SERVICIO The system of forced labor evolved within the framework of the encomienda system. Introduced by the Conquistadores and Catholic priests. The system, however, degenerated into abuse of power by the encomienderos. The tribute soon became land rents to a few powerful landlords. The natives who once cultivated the lands in freedom were transformed into mere share tenants. This system grants that Encomienderos must defend his encomienda from external attack, maintain peace and order within, and support the missionaries. FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC The revolutionary government confiscated the large landed estates, especially the friar lands and declared these as properties of the government. Malolos Constitution, 1896, Article XVII. In the Malolos Republic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899 various taxes were imposed. THE AMERICAN ERA (1898-1935) Americans sought to put an end to the miserable conditions of the tenant tillers and small farmers. The base of small landholdings and distribute land ownership among the greater number of Filipino tenants and farmers. PHILIPPINE BILL OF 1902 This law provided regulations on the disposal of public lands wherein a private individual can own 16 hectares of land while the corporate land holdings can avail of 1,024 hectares. This also gave the rights to the Americans to own agricultural lands. 400,000 native farmers were without titles at the start of the American era, this was also aggravated by the absence of records of issued titles. The Torrens system was then introduced to replace the registration system implemented by the Spaniards. Homestead program of 1903 This program allowed an enterprising tenant to acquire a farm of at least 16 hectares to cultivate. Program was not implemented and was introduced in some parts of Mindanao and Northern Luzon. There was no limit on the size of landholdings one could possess. Landholdings were once again concentrated in the hands of fewer individuals who can afford to buy, register, and acquire fixed titles of their properties. There were widespread peasant uprisings, headed by the armed peasants groups as Colorum and Sakdalista. This resulted to social disorder in 1920’s and 1930’s. This gave birth to the Communist Party of the Philippines. THE COMMONWEALTH YEARS (1935-1942) The government under President Quezon that land reform programs should be implemented immediately. The purchase of friar lands as a possible way to solve the problem of inequitable land ownership. The Homestead program could be transformed into a massive resettlement program. JAPANESE ERA The peasants and workers organized the HUKBALAHAP (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon) on March 29, 1942 as an anti-Japanese group. They took over vast tracts of land and gave the land and harvest to the people. The war was a golden opportunity for people’s initiative to push pro-poor programs. Hukbalahap controlled whole areas of Central Luzon. The Landlords who supported the Japanese lost their lands to peasants while those who supported the Huks earned fixed rentals in favor of the tenants. WEEK 2 THIRD REPUBLIC Manuel Roxas (1946-1948) Republic Act No. 34 was enacted to establish a 70-30 sharing arrangement between tenant and landlord. The 70% of the harvest will go to the person who shouldered the expenses for planting, harvesting and for the work animals. The Roxas administration negotiated for the purchase of 8,000 hectares of lands in Batangas owned by the Ayala-Zobel family. These were sold to landless farmers. Due to lack of support facilities, these farmers were forced to resell their lands to the landowning class. Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953) Executive Order No. 355, the Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO) was established to accelerate and expand the peasant resettlement program of the government. However, due to limited post-war resources, the program was not successful. Ramon Magsaysay (1953-1957) Magsaysay realized the importance of pursuing a more honest-to-goodness land reform program. He convinced the elite controlled congress to pass legislation to improve the land reform situation. The targeted 300 haciendas for distribution, only 41 were distributed after its 7 years of implementation. Due to lack of funds and support services provided for these programs. Landlords continued to be uncooperative to the program and landownership and tenancy problems continued. Carlos P. Garcia (1957-1961) There was no legislation passed in his term but he continued to implement the land reform programs of President Magsaysay. Diosdasdo Macapagal (1961-1965) President Diosdado Macapagal was considered the “Father of Agrarian Reform”. It was during his term that the Agricultural Land Reform Code or RA No. 3844 was enacted on August 8, 1963. It was considered to be the most comprehensive piece of agrarian reform legislation ever enacted in the country that time. This Act abolished share tenancy in the Philippines. It aimed to free tenants from the bondage of tenancy and gave hope to poor Filipino farmers to own the land. It emphasized owner-cultivator ship and farmer independence, equity, productivity and distribution of land. This was piloted in the provinces of Pangasinan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Sur and Misamis Oriental. It acquired a total of 18,247.06 hectares or 99.29% out of the total scope of 18,377.05 hectares. Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965-1986) Presidential Decree No. 27 became the heart of the Marcos reform. It provided for tenanted lands devoted to rice and corn to pass ownership to the tenants, and lowered the ceilings for landholdings to 7 hectares. It law stipulated that share tenants who worked from a landholding of over 7 hectares could purchase the land they tilled, while share tenants on land less than 7 hectares would become leaseholders. This agrarian reform program was designed to uplift the farmers from poverty and ignorance and to make them useful, dignified, responsible in nation-building. This program was a package of services extended to farmers in the form of credit support, infrastructure, farm extension, legal assistance, electrification and development of rural institutions. THE FIVE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF PRESIDENT MARCOS AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM Land Tenure Program, Institutional Development, Physical Development, Agricultural Development. Scope of program was limited only to tenanted, privately owned rice and corn lands. Foreign and local firms were allowed to use large tracks of land for their business. Declaration of Martial Law leading to the arrest of several farmer leaders who became involved in the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New Peoples Army (NPA). Their aim is to overthrow the democratic government and install the communist system like China and North Korea. Corazon C. Aquino (1986-1992) President Aquino considered agrarian and land reform as the center of her administration. However, she was criticized being the co-owner of Hacienda Luicita in Tarlac. The livelihood and agro-industrial projects promoted and program of support services were intensified to help farmer beneficiaries and transform them into entrepreneurs. Allegation on lack of political wills leadership and genuine commitment to implement the program. February 22, 1987, 3 weeks after the ratification of 1987 constitution, agrarian workers and farmers had a peaceful marched to Mendiola going to Malacanang. The marine forces and the police open fire on the protesters, called as Mendiola Massacre, where 12 farmers were killed and 19 injured. Mrs. Aquino was not directly involved in the incident but because it was not resolved, her administration was criticized. Republic Act 6657 known as Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, which was backed up by Mrs. Aquino. The law is about the distribution of agricultural lands to tenantsfarmers from landowners and also allowed to retain not more than 5 hectares of land. Aquino was not spared from controversies because of Hacienda Luisita a 6,453 hectare land at Tarlac. Aquino issued Executive Order 229 to pressure her relatives to allow stock distribution. 2006, the Department of Agrarian Reform revoked the stock distribution, and ordered the distribution of land property to the farmers/tenants. Violence erupted over the Hacienda, 7 people were killed in 2004 so the Department of Agrarian Reform intervened into the controversy. Fidel V. Ramos (1992-1998) The Ramos administration is recognized for bringing back support of key stakeholders of CARP by bridging certain policy gaps on land acquisition and distribution and case resolution. It credited for enhancing internal operating systems and strengthening the DAR bureaucracy. Failure in enforcing the installation of some farmer beneficiaries on awarded lands became an issue for this administration. Some sectors also complained on the slowness of this administration in the acquisition and distribution of privately owned lands. Joseph Ejercito Estrada (1998-2001) Widened the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to the landless peasants in the country side. Distributed 266,000 hectares of land to 175,000 farmers in the start of his career. EO 151 (executive order 151) also known as Farmer’s Trust Fund, which allows the voluntary consolidation of small farm operation into medium and large scale integrated enterprise that can access long-term capital. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001 – 2010) The GMA administration has adopted the BAYAN-ANIHAN concept as the implementing framework for CARP. Bayan means people, Anihan means harvest and Bayanihan means working together. Bayan-Anihan means a united people working together for the successful implementation of agrarian reform. January to March 2003, DAR distributed 11,095 hectares, higher than the 10,307 hectares and 10,033 hectares distributed during the same period in 2001 and 2002, respectively. The implementing land acquisition and distribution component of CARP will improve land tenure system through land distribution and leasehold. The lack of capital is one of the major obstacles to improving the lives of farmer-beneficiaries, most of them are forced to approach loan sharks for farm inputs. President Benigno Aquino III (2010-2016) President Benigno Aquino III vowed to complete before the end of his term the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the program of the administration of his mother, President Corazon Aquino. He also promised to complete the distribution of privately-owned lands of productive agricultural estates in the country. The Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) project was created. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (2016 – 2022) To pursue an “aggressive” land reform program that would help alleviate the life of poor Filipino farmers by prioritizing the provision of support services alongside land distribution. He directed the DAR to launch the 2nd phase of agrarian reform where landless farmers would be awarded with undistributed lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Duterte plans to place almost all public lands, including military reserves, under agrarian reform. He also placed 400 hectares of agricultural lands in Boracay under CARP. His administration the DAR created an anti-corruption task force to investigate and handle reports on alleged anomalous activities by officials and employees of the department. The Department pursues an “Oplan Zero Backlog” in the cases in relation to agrarian justice delivery of the agrarian reform program to fast-track the implementation of CARP. BONG BONG R. MARCOS JR. The 17th and current President of the Philippines. He previously served as a senator from 2010 to 2016. He was elected on May 9, 2022 the son of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr AGRARIAN REFORM MEASURES Agrarian reform would, therefore, also cover the following: 1. Public health programs 2. Family planning 3. Education and training of farmers 4. Reorganization of land reforms agencies 5. Application of labor laws to agricultural workers ISSUES ON AGRARIAN REFORM Department of Agrarian Reform do not have the political will to implement the program. In fact, the DAR fail to meet its target of 198,000 hectares of farmlands to CARP beneficiaries, hitting only 18% of the target, despite reforms made in the current administration. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization that true reform can only come from pressure groups such as member of the NGOs, political organization and reform officials. Some Land Titles were destroyed and have be reissued through court process, similar to filing a case. Farmer believe that violation of their land rights, is also a violation of their human rights, with threats and even killing of their own farmers in order to evict them from their own land. CARP has also conflict with law, includes problems with conversion where some arable lands are being used for mining. DID YOU KNOW? HACIENDA LUISITA A 6,453 hectare sugar plantation located in the province of Tarlac, the hacienda spans 11 barangays. Belonged to the Spanish-owned Compaña General de Tabacos de Filipinas (Tabacalera). Tabacalera acquired the land in 1882 from the Spanish crown claiming all the lands. The name Luisita was named after Luisa, the wife of the top official of Tabacalera. ENSIMADA The ensaimada a Catalan is a pastry product from Mallorca, Spain. Common eaten in most former Castilian territories in Latin America and the Philippines. It dates back to the 17th century can be traced to the Balearic Island of Mallorca, Spain where bakers made a bread named ensaimada de Mallorca. PANDESAL The name comes from the Spanish word pan de sal, means bread of salt. Pan de suelo floor bread, baked directly on the floor of a wood-fired oven. The most popular bread in the Philippines. QUOTES ON AGRARIAN REFORM Agrarian reform should not merely subdivide misery, it must raise living standards. Ownership raises the farmer from his, but productivity will keep him on his feet. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo