Santos, Ma. Farina Kim L.

II AB International Studies Economics 100 The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform in the Philippines The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform was a land reform signed by ExPresident Corazon Aquino on June 10, 1988. It was a law mandated by the Republic Act No. 6657 and was the fifth land reform in fifty years. Not only did Ex-President Aquino sign the reform, she was also the one to outline the law through Presidential Proclamation 131 and Executive Order 229 on June 22, 1987. The law covers all public and private agricultural lands including all other lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture. As soon as this law is held effective, acts or forms pertaining to sale, disposition, lease, management contract or transfer of possession of private lands by original landowner shall be held null or void. The beginnings of The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform could be traced back when land became an important thing for people. During the Spanish Regime, the so-called encomenderos, large landlords and friars are the ones that ruled and owned Philippines land ownership. Because of the monopolistic ruling in lands, small farmers were struggling to fight and voice out their agrarian rights. The titular system and domain-ship also just add to their struggles. When American Occupation came, an agrarian reform was finally set. But though there was now a program, it only gives rights to some including the rich agrarian families in country sides. Come 1972, Former President Ferdinand Marcos issued an order stating that the Philippines is a land reform nation. After a month, Presidential Decree no.27 was issued by Ferdinand Marcos which detailed the very first Comprehensive Agrarian Reform order that was attempted in the country. Since this law had at first, many flaws, it was the late President Aquino who re-outlined

and signed the provision. The law was enacted by the 8 th congress of the Philippines. CARP was envisioned to be the leading program to uphold social justice in the Philippines. It aims to equally distribute the agricultural land in the country. The different provisions of CARP are as follows: a.) landowners should sell their land possessions if it exceeds 5 hectares b.) landowners may keep 3 hectares of their land for each of their children who are personally managing the land c.) landowners may sell their land to the government, and then the government will sell the land to the farmers d.) the farmers should then complete their payment for the land within 30 years and with an annual interest of 6%. This program was founded for farmers and other regular farm workers because they also have their own rights, rights to own lands that they would use for their living and lands to till. With this, the state shall aim for equal distribution of all agricultural and farm lands and shall give respect to landowners, big or small. It only does not provide incentives to landowners; CARP also protects the right of fishermen, giving them preference over communal marine and fishing resources. It also provides them with good support and assistance and other needed services. With this, fishermen shall a share in their labor of utilizing the marine and fishing resources. CARP would not just cover governing the lands of local owners; it would also establish rules for multinational corporations that are holding pieces of lands in the Philippines. In section 8, it states there that lands held or possessed by multinational corporations and associations or lands owned by government but is devoted to agribusiness operated by multinational corporations shall be programmed for acquisition and distribution and shall be completed within three years upon the implementation of the law -- which means that multinational associations are not exempted from the rules of the country. Speaking of exemption, there are lands that are acknowledge by CARP to be exempted or excluded and these are the lands used for parks, wildlife, forest reserves, reforestation, fish sanctuaries and watersheds.

Even though the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform was intended for the good of the people, it cannot be avoided that there would be critics that would go against the program and make criticisms. One strong criticism against Comprehensive Agrarian Reform was made by the World Bank Officials. According to them, the process required restrictions to be imposed on it, for impeding the penetration of corruption. For that matter, the rate of the process must be a rapid one, completed all at a time, rather than in phases. Moreover, the prices of the cultivable lands should be decided through the implementation of a mechanical formula, instead of the existing subjective method of valuation. Drawn from this criticism is the fact that the rules imposed by CARP are not perfect and it also needs adjustments and such. Another criticism is saying that 67.6% of Filipinos do not believe that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform would not aid or help in the loss of land reform. In the survey conducted by Ibon Foundation Inc., a great number of Filipinos do not know the program that would re-format and would promote the extensive implementation of CARP. Also, groups of farmers are against the idea that CARP should be re-intensified because for them, CARP is just a tool for the landlords to retain their monopoly in the land. Just as soon as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has signed the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform, a study session on the possible impact of Carper law to Filipino farmers revealed that the new land reform has nothing to offer but wholesale denial of peasant land rights. Across the country, land reform reversals and the land reform law will just usher a heighten era of political repression in the countryside rather than complete the cycles of social justice. Critics of the extended land reform law further likened the Carper law into a huge no trespassing billboard preventing farmers and other agrarian reform beneficiaries to till the land and enjoy the fruit of their hard work. They said the extended land reform law has no substantial reforms to speak and were merely cloaked on sweetened phrases just to make it appear acceptable to farmers.

A representative of the organization Gabriela mentioned that Extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program is extending the suffering of our farmers. when asked to explain her disagreement regarding the extension of CARP. One of the advocacies of Gabriela is to equally distribute land to Filipino farmers without any conditions or consequences. But, the statement above means that even though Gabriela supports land distribution, they do not approve about the idea of the extension of CARP. For them, CARP is a program that is never fair to poor farmers. There is no assurance under CARP the farmers will own the land they till because the Certificates of Land Ownership Award, Certificates of Land Transfer and Emancipation Patents that would be given to them could be forfeited. CARP also subjects agricultural lands into massive land conversions and exemptions, and therefore contributes to the rice crisis our country is experiencing at present. As the governments Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) faces its possible second extension next year, a German Technical Assistance (GTZ)-commissioned review of the CARP said, Despite a total of 34 years of agrarian reform agrarian reform failed to increase agricultural productivity, reduce rural poverty, and landowners investment in rural-based industries. In its 272-page report made available to Bulatlat, the GTZ bared that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has concentrated mainly on land redistribution without considering viability and support services. This study stressed that Philippine agriculture is now in a state of distress. At the macro level, the social and economic conditions in the rural communities are not any better than 10 years ago; macro-policies are biased against agriculture. The study also revealed that the government allocated only about 50 percent of what was needed to finance CARP implementation. Despite shortage of funds, CARP implementation has been beset by misplaced priorities and misallocation of resources. For example, 60 percent of total disbursements go to salaries of a bloated bureaucracy; DAR has 15,000

officials and employees nationwide. The rule for an efficient organization is that the ratio between personnel and operating costs should be 40-60 percent not otherwise as in the case of DAR, the study said. It noted that of several countries that tried agrarian reform, only three Japan, Korea, and Taiwan were successful. The three (countries) which completed their agrarian reform in five years each, had attributed their success to the sufficient support services and pursuance of industrialization as important component of agrarian reform, it said. Conclusion: Based from all the criticisms above, I can therefore state that the Land Reform in the Philippines is a failure. I know that its intention is for the good of all Filipino people but we should take note that for a program to be successful, proper monitoring, good budget, dedicated and intellectual people, good intention and time is necessary. CARP is a good program but still it shows signs that it is a one-sided project. Yes, it benefits all land workers but based from the criticisms, it is a little biased and favors the rich landowners.

Resources: http://www.tinigngplaridel.net/news/stories-behind-thestories/2008/01/06/the-comprehensive-agrarian-reform-programcarp/comment-page-1/

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