Module 28
THE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM
COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), as
provided for RA 6657, was formulated to attain political and socio-
economic stability, especially in the agrarian sector. The program
includes measures to improve land tenure by providing production and
support production and support services which will hasten the process
of development in the countryside. The government provides the
farmer-beneficiaries a package of services development, extension
services, legal counseling, electrification and the development of rural
institutions.
In this module, will:
1. Discuss the historical development of the land reform
program in the country;
2. Explain the importance of the land reform program in the
economic development of the country;
3. Analyze the causes of the slow implementation of the land
reform program; and
4. Evaluate the various program related to the implementation
of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
The program aims to support progress and development in the
rural communities by promoting growth and rural empowerment and
developing the skillfulness and expertise of rural folks to become
efficient agricultural producers.
The primary agency responsible for the proper implementation of
the agrarian reform program is the Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR). It develops policies, plans, program and standard operating
procedures on this area of responsibility.
Self-check
1. What is the aim of the CARP with regard to the role of rural folks as
agricultural producers?
Historical Background
Agrarian reform started as early as the Spanish regime, when in
1880 and 1894, Royal Decrees were issued encouraging landowners to
secure tittles to their lands. However, only a few rich and influential
people acquired tittles. Then over the decades, the encomienda system
came into existence. The encomienda is a piece of land awarded to
select a people as reward for services rendered for the king. The
encomenderos collected taxes in the form of crops and other agricultural
products. Due to the abuses of the encomenderos, the encomienda
system was abolished.
During the American period, church-owned agricultural
properties were bought by the government under the Friar Land
Purchase program. In 1933, the Philippines legislature enacted Act
4054, known as the Philippines Rice Share Tenancy Act. This law
regulated the relationship between tenants and landlords in rice
producing areas.
During the Commonwealth period, President Manuel Quezon
made effects to carry out land settlement projects through
Commonwealth Act Nos. 461 and 608. Commonwealth Act No. 461
protected the share of tenant from dismissal, except on the grounds
specifically mentioned therein, and only upon the approval of the
Tenancy Division of the Department of Justice. Meanwhile,
Commonwealth Act No. 608provides for the establishment of the In all, a total of 3,826,221 hectares have been distributed to
National Rice and Corn Corporation (NARIC) to help the farmers raise about two million beneficiaries nationwide. This is equivalent to 74% of
their standard of living through the much lower price of rice sold at the 5,163,754 hectares covered by the program.
NARIC.
The establishment of the Philippines Republic in 1946 paved the Self-Check
way for the enactment of a services of laws to resolve the agrarian 1. What is the significance of the establishment of the Philippines
problem. During the administration of President Manuel Roxas, RA 34, Republic relation to agrarian reform?
also known as the 70-30 Act, was signed into law. It emphasizes the
sharing scheme of 70% for tenant and 30% for the landlord. Table 28.1 LAND DISTRIBUTION ACCOPLISHMENT AS OF DECEMBER 2006 (Area in Hectares)
Under the administration of President Ramon Magsaysay, RA Region Working As of December, 2006 % of accomplishment
1400 or the Land Reform Act of 1995 came into force. It established the Philippines 5,163,754 3,826221 74
Land Tenure Administration as the instrument for the acquisition, CAR 120,444 86,778 108
Congress enacted RA 3844 or the Land Reform Code. It abolished the I 148,118 127,691 89
lease system by transferring ownership to the tenant-farmer II 408,564 325,219 106
During the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, RA 6389 or the III 443,720 387,086 94
Code of Agrarian Reform was signed into law. The law created the IV-A 214,661 147,299 70
Department of Agrarian Reform to take the place of the Land Authority IV-B 198,536 151,185 86
and the National Land Reform Council in implementing agrarian reform V 397,336 258,069 54
policies. It was also under his administration that the Philippines was VI 521,846 342,551 59
proclaimed as a land reform area through President Decrees No. 27. VII 236,701 132,518 75
Rice and corn farmers became beneficiaries of Operation Leasehold VIII 488,711 374,520 93
Agrarian reform implementation was further accelerated under
IX 233,717 190,717 117
the administration of President Corazon Aquino. The program was
X 349,352 266,634 97
expanded to include lands devoted to coconut, sugar, aquatic and other
XI 300,596 207,713 99
croplands. Under the administration President Fidel Ramos, efforts were
XII 561,269 438,181 98
directed towards a faster and fairer implementation of the program.
CARAGA 235,260 198,925 97
Meanwhile, president Joseph Estrada issued Executive Order No. 151,
which allowed the voluntary consolidation of small farm operation into ARMM 304,923 191,135 61
Source: www.dar.gov.ph
medium and large scale integrated enterprises that can access long-
Agrarian Reform Today
term capital. Meanwhile, the CARP under the Arroyo administration
focuses on the delivery of support services to empower and improve the Agrarian reform remains one of the major program of the
lives of the farmers-beneficiaries of the program and to enable them to administration of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Aroyo. Under her 10-point
produce more and help improve the country’s economy.
legacy agenda, CARP will focus on the delivery of support services to
empower and improve the lives of farmer-beneficiaries.
For 2005, a total of 130,00 hectares were targeted to be
distributed to beneficiaries, higher than the 104,069 hectares distributed
to 71,682 agrarian reform beneficiaries eficiaries in 2004.
Causes of the Slow Implementation of CARP
The CARP was originally set to be implemented completed by
1998. However, certain problems prevented its smooth implementation.
With this, the program has been extended until 2008. Following are
some problems which have affected the CARP’s implementation:
1. Insufficient Funding
The insufficiency of funds has affected, among others, the
provision of financial support to help agrarian reform beneficiaries
enhance the productivity of their land.
2. Opposition from Landowners
Land owners continuously oppose what they consider is
the unfair market value assessed on their land. A number of them
have also filed cases contesting the moves to subject their land
to CARP. These have delayed the processing of lands to be
acquired and distributed by DAR.
3. Documentation Concerns
A considerable part of the land by CARP are classified as
either problematic lands or land without supporting documents,
thus hindering their distribution to beneficiaries.
4. Problems on Peace and Orders
The unstable peace and order situation in some areas has also
affected the implementation of the CARP.
Steps Towards Full Implementation
The DAR has implemented a number of projects and strategies to
address factors other than those mentioned above which have affected
the CARP’s implementation. Among the said steps are the following:
1. Intensity leasehold operation by establishing links peasant
organization, alliances and networks to increase legislative
support.
2. Increasing and expanding the coverage of agrarian reform
communities within and across provinces;
3. Developing the officials, Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee
members and Provincial Agrarian Adjudicators in solving agrarian
reform causes; and
4. Activating the Provincial Agrarian Reform Council, Provincial
Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee, as well as regional,
provincial and municipal CARP implementation teams
Program Beneficiaries Development
The DAR instituted programs, to advance the socio-economic
development of the agrarian reform beneficiaries in particular and the
rural communities in general. These programs started in 2003 to
accelerate the income and improve the quality of lives of farmer
beneficiaries.
 Bahay-Ugnayan ng mga Magsasaka – the DAR initiated this
program to serve as a venue for farmers for a, dialogue,
symposia, consultation and other activities related to the sector.
 Gulayan ng Magsasakang Agraryo (GMA) – With the use of
greenhouse technologies and relevant farming techniques, GMA
 was formulated to improve both economic and social condition of MODULE REVIEW
its beneficiaries.
 President Diosdado Macapagal Agrarian Reform Scholarship A. Vocabulary. Define the following terms and use each in a
Program (PDMARSP) – The program aims to encourage deserving sentence.
children of farmer beneficiaries to take up agriculture courses in 1. agrarian reform
any state colleges or universities through scholarship grants. 2. encomienda
 Katarungan Program or Swift Delivery of Agrarian Justice – The 3. tenant
DAR is authorized to mediate in agrarian reform problems and 4. landlord
give free legal assistance to farmers facing agrarian cases. This 5. land tenure
is to help ensure the fast and fair resolution of agrarian cases. 6. farmer-beneficiaries
 Kabayanihan Program or People’s Organization and Non- 7. leasehold
Government Consultation – Aims to strengthen the links with 8. rural empowerment
people’s organization and non-government organizations through
dialogues and consultations. B. Review Question. Answer the following question
1. What marked the start of the agrarian reform program in the
SYNTHESIS Philippines?
 The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) aims to 2. Why is agrarian reform considered the centerpiece of all
support progress and development in the rural communities by administration?
promoting growth and rural empowerment. 3. What is the role of the Department of Agrarian Reform with
 The land reform programs of the Philippines under the different regard to the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian
administrations include measures to improve land tenure and Reform Program (CARP)?
countryside development. 4. What are the causes of the slow implementation of the
 Problem such as insufficient funding, opposition from CARP? How have these affected the land reform program?
landowners, documentation concern and peace and order have 5. What are the different program being carried out to improve
affected the smooth implementation of the CARP. the implementation of the CARP?
 Strategies or programs such as the Bahay-Ugnayan ng mga
Magsasaka, Katarungan Program, Gulayan ng Magsasakang C. Activities
Agraryo (GMA), PDMARSP-and Kabayanihan program are being 1. Choose one of the problem affecting the implementation of
implemented to improve the implementation of the country’s the CARP and propose solutions to these problems.
CARP. 2. Clip any news item about the land reform program of the
government and write your reaction on the said article.
 3. Ask around if there are any CARP beneficiaries in your
community. If there are any, ask them to compare their
situation before and after they became CARP beneficiaries.

D. Valuing

1. What do you feel when you hear about the sad plight of
qualified farmer beneficiaries who have not yet benefited
from the CARP?

E. Answer to Self-Check Question

1. The CARP aims to make rural folk efficient agricultural

producers by developing their skillfulness and expertise.
2. These establishment of the Philippines Republic Act in 1946
paved the way for the enactment of a series of laws designed
to solve the agrarian problem.