Republic of the Philippines

QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

Brgy. San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City

COMPARATIVE RESEARCH STUDY

(On the Philippine Agrarian Reform Program)

Prepared by:

John Albert De Jesus Papa

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

(3rd Year, Section E)

Issued to:

Mr. Rogelio B. Aguilar

(Professor, Principles of Economics with Taxation and Agrarian Reform)

on this 30th day of September, 2008

 TABLE OF CONTENTS:

TOPICS

Introduction

CHANGES IN THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

• Pre-Spanish Period

• Spanish Period

• First Philippine Republic

• The American Period

• The Commonwealth Period

• The Japanese Occupation

• The New Philippine Republic

I. CARP: changes on the Philippine Agrarian

Reform Program (1988 – 2001)

II. Phil. Government at present: preparing the

program’s other needs

AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM OF OTHER

COUNTRIES (THAILAND)

• Knowing about the country

• Economy, Rural and Agrarian = 3 Development “P”

(Plans, Programs, Projects)

I. Thai National Development and

Social Plans

II. Agricultural Land Reform Program

(ALRP)

III. Other more ALRP-related Projects

COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM
PROGRAM (CARP)

• Back to its past

• Coverage of CARP

• About the Implementation (Agencies)

• Present status of the program: the results

COMPARISON

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES
 COMPARATIVE RESEARCH STUDY ON THE PHILIPPINE AGRARIAN
REFORM PROGRAM

John Albert DJ. Papa, BSICT-3E

Introduction

The Republic of the Philippines is one of the countries in the world that has some
source in agricultural products. And because of this, the Philippine Agrarian Reform
Program was born. It is the one of the widest programs in terms of its coverage. This
program affects the almost 30,000,000 hectare land area of the country.

As the time passes by and the government changes, the program also changes and
added with some constitutional laws & orders that will support & hardened it. This
changes lead to Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP),a program of the
government that aims to transfer effective management of a land ownership from the
landowners to their tenants such as famers or workers to have their an economic and
social development for a quality of life of each. Now, it covers 26.8% of the Philippines
total land area (or more than 8,000,000 hectares). Also, the CARP provides support
services to the program beneficiaries to ensure that they are able to make lands
awarded to them fully productive.

In this comparative research study, we will see how the Philippine Agrarian Reform
Program changes and what does the earlier heads of state protect and support the
program. Also, we will see what the other countries agrarian reform program similar and
different to ours. Lastly, we will find out how our present government sustains the needs
of the program for the benefit of the people, especially for the people and sectors in the
field related to it.

CHANGES IN THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Now, how can we understand the present situation and development of the program on
our country? One word: HISTORY.
On the “Land Reform on the Philippine History” information came from the Department
of Agrarian Reform website, we will see that on the following information from the
different “periods” of the Philippine history in regarding on the Agrarian will help and
also guides us to know and understand the background of the present program on our
economy and governance and also compare them to its present situation:

Pre-Spanish Period

In Pre-Spanish Period (before the Spaniards came to the Philippines), the Filipinos lived
in baranggays headed by a Datu (most of them are chosen for their nobility). In that
period, the person has a chance to get some “fruits” of the soil. And rice is commonly
known on that period as a medium of exchange.

Spanish Period

When the Spanish Period began, the Encomienda (Royal Land Grants) was introduced.
The Encomienda system is a system wherein the Encomiendero must defend from
external attacks, protect & and maintain peace & security within his encomienda. Also,
the encomiendero must collect some tribute to the indios (natives) and for supporting
the missionaries. But the result of this system is abusing of power. And the tributes that
collected to the indios became land rents for the few powerful landowners and the
indios became shared tenants. Unequal land distribution and landlessness are upraised
on this period.

First Philippine Republic

When the Philippines got the independence from the hands of Spanish colonizers and
resulted to a Republic country, the first president, General Emilio Aguinaldo planned to
bring back the Spanish estates (or the “Friar Lands”) and other large lands to the
Philippines. But unfortunately, the Philippine Republic that Aguinaldo headed by was
short-lived. In result, the plans didn’t achieved, especially regarding on the Agrarian
reform.
American Period

There are some bills and acts enacted on this period that the Filipino farmworkers (or
tenants) and landowners can used their rights and privileges. The following bills and
acts that enacted on that period was started on the Philippine Bill of 1902 which is
setting the ceilings on the hectarage of private individuals and corporations may
acquire: 16 have for private individuals and 1,024 have for corporations.

Next is the Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act No. 496), providing a comprehensive
registration of land titles under the Torrens system. Also, the Public Land Act of 1903,
introducing the homestead system in the Philippines.

And the Tenancy Act of 1933 (Act No. 4054 and 4113), a regulated relationships
between landowners and tenants of rice (50-50 sharing) and sugar cane lands.

However, the Torrens system (stated on the Land Registration Act of 1902) that existed
during American Period didn’t resolve the problem completely.

The Commonwealth Period

Under the Quezon’s Administration, he also imposed some acts for the economic status
of the country that time. This acts aims to help the farmworkers and landowners, and
also build a strong relationship between the tenants and consumers. It is started on the
Commonwealth Act No. 178 (An Amendment to Rice Tenancy Act No. 4045) dated on
Nov. 13, 1936 is a provision for certain controls in the landlord-tenant relationships.

The Commonwealth Act. No. 461 of 1937 is a specified reasons for the dismissal of
tenants and only with the approval of the Tenancy Division of the Department of Justice.
And the Commonwealth Act No. 441 enacted on June 3, 1939, which created the
National Settlement Administration with a capital stock of P20, 000,000. Also, the Act
No. 4054 (Rice Share Tenancy Act) is the first law on crop-sharing which legalized the
50-50 share between landlord and tenant.

He also creates a corporation called “National Rice and Corn Corporation” (NARIC) on
the year 1936. The purpose is to establish the price of rice and corn for helping the
tenants and also the consumer.

These acts were initiated until when the World War II in the Pacific began.
The Japanese Occupation

The World War II was started on 1941 in the Pacific, including in the Philippines. One of
the members of the Axis Powers is the 3 rd colonizer and occupied our country, and this
is the Japanese colonial power.

Since the Japanese occupation in our country was begun, some of Filipinos in some
provinces began to create a movement called “HUKBALAHAP” (HUKbong BAyan
LAban sa mga HAPon).

Being an anti-Japanese group, Hukbalahap controlled whole 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. Unfortunately, the end
of war also signaled the end of gains acquired by the peasants.

Upon the arrival of the Japanese in the Philippines in 1942, peasants and workers
organizations grew strength. Many peasants took up arms.

The New Philippine Republic

After the war, 1946 is the year when the new Philippine Independence was established,
but the problems of land tenure and reform program still remained. And it was worst in
certain areas. Thus the Congress of the Philippines revised the tenancy law.

Since President Manuel Roxas is the first president of the New Republic, he started to
help the agrarian reform sector by enacting a law.

These are the Republic Act No. 34, establishing a 70-30 sharing arrangements and
regulating share-tenancy contracts, provided that whoever will be shouldered the
expenses on what the plantation or agricultural land needs and the Republic Act No. 55,
a provision for a more effective safeguard against arbitrary ejectment of tenants.

President Elpidio Quirino enacted the law of Executive Order No. 355 issued on
October 23, 1950, replacing the National Land Settlement Administration with Land
Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO) which takes over the
responsibilities of the Agricultural Machinery Equipment Corporation and the Rice and
Corn Production Administration.

When President Ramon Magsaysay turns as a Philippine President, his administration

made the laws, for the continuous help in the sector. He implemented the following laws
for the program.

The NARRA Law, which is the Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954 abolished the
LASEDECO and established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) to increase free distribution of agricultural lands to the tenants
and farmworkers and resettle dissidents and landless farmers. It was particularly aimed
at rebel returnees providing home lots and farmlands in Palawan and Mindanao.

Another is the Republic Act No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) states that
governed the relationship between landowners and tenant farmers by organizing share-
tenancy and leasehold system. The law provided the security of tenure of tenants. It
also created the Court of Agrarian Relations.

Another, the Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955) created the Land Tenure
Administration (LTA) which was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of large
tenanted rice and corn lands over 200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for
corporations.

Republic Act No. 821 is the creation of Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing
Administration, provided small farmers and share tenants loans with low interest rates of
six to eight percent.

Now, during President Carlos Garcia term, he just continued the program of President
Ramon Magsaysay on the Land Reform. In result, no new legislation passed during his
time for the Agrarian sector.

When the term of President Diosdado Macapagal came, he enacted the following
laws like Republic Act No. 3844 of August 8, 1963 known as Agricultural Land Reform
Code, abolishing the share tenancy, institutionalized leasehold, set retention limit at 75
hectares, invested rights of preemption and redemption for tenant farmers, provided for
an administrative machinery for implementation, institutionalized a judicial system of
agrarian cases, incorporated extension, marketing and supervised credit system of
services of farmer beneficiaries. The RA was hailed as one that would emancipate
Filipino farmers from the bondage of tenancy.

On September 21, 1972, the Proclamation No. 1081, President Ferdinand Marcos
ushered the Period of the New Society (Bagong Lipunan). And five days after the
proclamation of Martial Law, the entire country was proclaimed a land reform area and
simultaneously the Agrarian Reform Program was decreed.

President Marcos created the Republic Act No. 6389, the Code of Agrarian Reform and
RA No. 6390 of 1971, resulting to the creation of the Department of Agrarian Reform
and the Agrarian Reform Special Account Fund. It strengthens the position of farmers
and expanded the scope of agrarian reform. This is the one of the best contribute in the
program.

Also, the Presidential Decree No. 2 of September 26, 1972 was created, declaring the
country under land reform program. It enjoined all agencies and offices of the
government to extend full cooperation and assistance to the DAR. It also activated the
Agrarian Reform Coordinating Council. And the Presidential Decree No. 27 of October
21, 1972, restricting land reform scope to tenanted rice and corn lands and set the
retention limit at 7 hectares.

CARP: changes on the Philippine Agrarian Reform Program (1988 – 2001)

The year was 1986, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino’s Government. There are many
changes was did during of this administration from the previous presidents. Ratification
of the Philippine Constitution by the Filipino people is one of those changes.

Back on the 1935 Constitution created under Manuel L. Quezon’s administration, it’s
stated that “The promotion of social justice to ensure the well-being and economic
security of all people should be the concern of the State.” However, from that year up to
the Marcos’ Administration, there are still some missed and needed to changes
regarding on the Agrarian Reform. So on the year 1987, Filipino people ratified the
constitution under Article II, Section 21 that “The State shall promote comprehensive
rural development and agrarian reform.”

Also, during her administration, CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) is

one of the changes on the Philippine Agrarian Reform sector that until now existed. It is
started on the preparation of Executive Order No. 229 of July 22, 1987, and stated a
“provided mechanism for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program (CARP)”. Corazon Aquino wants that the CARP will be the “center-program” of
the Philippine Government.

To support the said program, the Proclamation No. 131 of July 22, 1987 was done.
Instituted that the CARP is the major program of the government. It’s provided for a
special fund known as the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), with an initial amount of
Php50,000,000,000 to cover the estimated cost of the program from 1987-1992.

Continuously, on Aquino’s administration, the passed bills and became laws (or orders)
are more on Agrarian Reform, because of the CARP. Those orders aim to help and give
the needs of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program for the Filipino people,
especially to the landowners, tenants and farmworkers. And when June 10, 1988,
Republic Act No. 6657 was done. This is also known as “Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law”. This act instituted a comprehensive agrarian reform program to promote
social justice and industrialization providing the mechanism for its implementation and
for other purposes. This law, which became effective on June 15, 1988 is still the one
being implemented at present. The other orders implemented that support the program
are:

• Executive Order No. 129-A, July 26, 1987 – streamlined and expanded the
power and operations of the DAR.

• Executive Order No. 405, June 14, 1990 – Vested in the Land Bank of the
Philippines the responsibility to determine land valuation and compensation for
all lands covered by CARP.

• Executive Order No. 407, June 14, 1990 – Accelerated the acquisition and
distribution of agricultural lands, pasture lands, fishponds, agro-forestry lands
and other lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture.

Regarding in this E.O.407, directed all government instrumentalities, including financial

institutions and corporations, to turn over to Department of Agrarian Reform all lands
suitable for agriculture for the coverage of the program.
When the election for a new Philippine President came, Corazon Aquino didn’t run for
presidency, but she supports Fidel Valdez Ramos. By counting the votes of the Filipino
people, Ramos won the presidency.

During his term, Ramos adds some implementations and laws to continue on what
Aquino did for the Philippine Agrarian Reform. He strengthened the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program that written on the Republic Act No. 7905 of the year 1995.
On the year 1997, in giving conditions on what type of lands may be converted is also
Ramos and his administration concerned. That’s the reason of implementing the
Executive Order No.363 and the Republic Act No. 8435. And in the same year, the
government gave 50,000,000,000 pesos to the program and extending it for another 10
years, under the Republic Act No.8532 of 1998 which is also known as “Agrarian
Reform Fund Bill”.

Until when 1998 presidential election, Joseph Ejercito Estrada won and took the oath as
the 12th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Continued with Estrada, known as
“Erap para sa Mahirap” he started to create the Farmers Trust Fund (Executive Order
151) on September, 1999. It tells that the voluntary consolidation of small farm
operations is allowed into medium and large scale enterprise and access a long-term
capital.

Executive Order No.26 is also initiated during the Estrada’s Administration. This order
tells that it provided the lands covered with the Certificates of Land Ownership Award
(CLAO) shall now accepted as collateral to secure loans of the registered owners, with
the consent of the farmers cooperative as the members, government financial
institutions, as well as, the private financial institutions. Provided that the loan must
used for the agricultural land productivity and other related activities.

And last, the MAGKASAKA (MAGKAbalikat SA Kaunlarang Agraryo). The aim of this is
to bring investments into the countryside. Investors will be encouraged to become
partners of the farmers in establishing rural business enterprises, particularly in agrarian
reform communities (ARCs). They will contribute capital, technology and management
support, while the farmers will contribute the use of their land but not the land itself. The
land cannot be used to settle obligations of the enterprise. This ensures that ownership
of the land remains in the hand of the farmers.

But as we all knew, Joseph Estrada was ouster by the masses on 2001, and Gloria
Macapagal- Arroyo, his vice-president, was took her oath to be the 13th president of the
country that year.
 Phil. Government at present: preparing for giving the program’s other needs

“To make the countryside economically viable for the Filipino family by building
partnership and promoting social equity and new economic opportunities towards
lasting peace and sustainable rural development.”

The vision of agrarian reform program during Arroyo’s administration is more on

economic opportunities and rural development for the Filipino people. Since we are now
in new generation: modern technology and modern society, how this “technological”
changes affect the Philippine Agrarian Reform Program?

The government developed a “projects” that under on this Agrarian Reform program.
These are the “Land Tenure Improvement”, “Provision of Support Services”,
“Infrastructure Projects”, “KALAHI ARZone” and the “Agrarian Justice”.

Now, since we already knew the differences and changes of the agrarian reform
program to our country, from the colonial periods, during of the “different” presidential
terms and up to the present times, is the government’s giving the Philippine Agrarian
Reform Program needs, especially in the present Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program, will result as the one of the “best” agrarian reform programs among the other
countries? Or is it one of the “worst”?

AGRARIAN REFORM OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES (THAILAND)

Knowing about the country

The country of Thailand (or Kingdom of Thailand) is one of the member countries of
Southeast Asian region. The total area is 513, 115 square kilometers. The capital of
Thailand is Bangkok. If the Philippines was divided into 3 regions: Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao, Thailand was also divided into 4 regions: the North, Northeast, Central and
South consists of 76 provinces. The official currency used here is called “Baht.”
The population of the country is approximately 63 million, consists of Thais, Chinese,
and Malays and the rest are the Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. The country’s
official written and spoken language is Thai.

Economy, Rural and Agrarian = 3 Development “P” (Plans, Programs, Projects)

Regarding on the income generation, the regions of Thailand has a different income
level, depending and relating in their location, promotion of economic activities and
development on their economic zones such as natural resource.

For instance, Bangkok and other vicinities got the high income level rank generation
because most of economic activities of the country is concentrated on this area. While
the lowest income level rank generation is in the North and Northeastern regions. The
cause is the limitation of natural resources, topography and other factors that affects for
the investment. In result, the North and Northeastern regions are the rural areas in
Thailand.

Central and Western regions can be classified in medium rank income level because
there are both in urban and rural areas, some did the semi-economic activities in the
city cause of the development while the others did the agricultural practices.

So how the Kingdom of Thailand helped its people for the progress of them, thus
helping also the agrarian sector for the economic and rural development? Are there any
plans or programs that already started?

Thai National Economic and Social Development Plans

On the National Report of Agrarian Reform and Rural Development of Thailand, since
1961, Thailand already started the NESDP or what they called “National Economic and
Social Development Plans”. Also, this plan aimed to:

• Maintain the financial stability

• Better quality of life and environment

• Accelerate and achieve the sustainable development

The NESDP period will takes five years before create and launch another NESDP.
Back to its history and for us to get the summarization of this plan, the First Plan was
started like what I’ve said earlier on the year 1961 and ends on 1966. The basis of the
plan was on the development only of the economic growth. And because of that, the
objective of this is only accelerating the economic growth. The plan focuses on the
investment of infrastructure and other development projects utilizing what they called
“Project Analysis” technique and emphasizing the “Physical Capital Assets” for the
accumulation.

When in the year of 1967, the Second Plan was started up to 1971. Like what the first
plan’s objective, it’s just continuing the objective that to accelerate the economic growth.
And like what my reference said, “Prosperity decentralization to regions, particularly
northeastern region was commenced.” Also, this second plan is concerned on the
national manpower and it has been taken seriously. The “Sectoral Analysis” was
recommended as a guide for the direct initiation of development.

After 5 years, on the year 1972, and the Third Plan was launched. It focuses on the
economic growth and financial stability. For the first time, the population growth rate
was included. It discussed how to reduce population rate. This plan was ended on the
year 1976.

Again, another 5 years, the Fourth Plan was started, covers the period from 1977 to
1981. Since that time has a political uncertainty, the plan focuses on the general
problem analysis, solution and framework designation. However, suggestions on a
development plan with multi-objectives, regarding on the problem analysis, was crucial
on the part of the status of Thailand.

Next, the Fifth Plan covered 1982 to 1986. It emphasized on consistent economical
growth. Project planning practice was shifted to "Programming", particularly for those
plans regarding rural development and the East Coast development. Even though “Top
–down approach” was in practice, planning authority was decentralized to regional and
areas.

The Sixth Plan, which implemented in 1987 to 1991. This Plan aimed to achieve
economical and social objectives simultaneously. Programming practice was applied to
at least 10 operational plans. Bottom-up approach was increasingly valued as well as
administrative system improvement and reviewing of government role on national
administration.

The Seventh Plan, period was in 1992 to 1996. Sustainable development was highly
recognized in this plan. Three development objectives were determined focusing on the
creation of equality of economic growth, income distribution, human resources
development, better quality of life and environment.
The Eighth Plan covered 1997 to 2001. Its concept was shifted its development
paradigm from economy-centered to people-centered development. Bottom-up
approach practice was applied to this Plan to encourage people participation in planning
for national development. The Plan focused on equilibrium social, natural resources and
environmental development.

The Ninth Plan, which is on the year 2002 up to 2006 adopt the philosophy of
sufficiency economy bestowed by the King to his subjects as the guiding principle of
national development and management. The philosophy of sufficiency economy, which
based on adherence to the middle path, is advocated to overcome the current economic
crisis that was brought about by unexpected changed under conditions of rapid
globalization, and achieve sustainable development.

Now, as we already read and understand the National Economic and Social
Development Plan, it focuses on the general economic problem of Thailand. But how
this country helped their Agrarian Reform sector specifically, like what the Republic of
the Philippines did, which is the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program?

The Agricultural Land Reform Office or ALRO is concerned about the agricultural status
of their country so they informed the people that Thailand is an agricultural country and
the greater part of the population is engaged in agriculture, hence land is an essential
factor in the development of national socio-economic conditions. Unfortunately,
Thailand tenure systems have caused inequitable distribution of income. As the result, a
greater number of farmers are poor and get into debt. They mostly become tenants and
landless farmers. Poverty is therefore widespread in rural areas. In addition, the
population continues to increase at a rapid rate with reflection to scarce land resources.

As 2005, the government program namely the Nationwide Poverty Registration Program
was formulated to identify the problems urgently. As one of the most serious problems
is landless and inadequate of agricultural land, the number of registered people was
about 2 million in the case of landless while the number for inadequate agricultural land
was more than 1.5 million.

For the solution on those problems, the Agricultural Land Reform Act was promulgated
and the Agricultural Land Reform Program has been conducted since 1975.

Agricultural Land Reform Program (ALRP)

The 1975 Agricultural Land Reform Act is taken to mean. It tells that “redistribution of
land for farming and residential uses by allocating state land or, land purchased or
expropriated from landowners who do not themselves cultivate or who own land in
excess of what is stipulated by the Agricultural Land Reform Act of 1975 to farmers who
are landless or do not have sufficient land for cultivation, and to farmers’ institutions by
means of lease and sale. In doing as, the state will provide supporting services such as
resource development, marketing facilities as well as public utilities”.

Regarding on the Land Reform context of Thailand, reform of the land tenure structure
in Thailand has the following objectives:

• To convert the tenants and the landless to owner-operators.

• To provide landownership to squatters in public lands, and

• To ensure fair share between tenants and lesser.

Land is acquired from the private land domain, voluntarily through direct purchase and,
involuntarily through expropriation, from large and absentee landowners. It is then
leased or sold on amortization basis to tenants, marginal and landless farmers. It the
public land domain, land is earmarked for distribution to the poor. The option is either to
lease or to buy from the government at a discount rate. Eventually, the land reform
beneficiaries are encouraged to buy the land, so that they can become full landowners.
In cases where land reform does not and cannot apply, efforts will be made to ensure
that both tenants and landowners get a fair share from leasing arrangements. This is in
recognition with the fact that leasing exists and cannot be eliminated by land reform or
even by any legal means.

Reform of the production structure has the principal objectives as follows:

• To attain optimal farm size,

• To prevent land fragmentation, and

• To increase agricultural productivities.

Farm size in terms of the amount of landholding should be small but economically
efficient. Land fragmentation should be prevented for fear that farm size may fall below
the optimal level. Land is to be devoted to produce more intensively. Crop diversification
is also recommended, instead of mono-cropping.

Like what our program’s one of the objective for helping the farm-related sectors and
people, reform of the supporting services structure of this Agrarian Land Reform
Program aims to achieve the following objectives like to ensure that farmers receive
supporting services as needed, and to upgrade the standards of living among farmers.

It should be reiterated here that supporting services, if they are to be of any help, must
be available and accessible to those in need. The need arises from the production
process and also from within the farm households (such as health, education and
domestic water consumption).

The objectives of land reform

With the above definition, the objectives of land reform formed and revised to fit with the
ALRO’s mission. The following of objectives are:

• To distribute land to farmers according to the Agricultural Land Reform Act;

• To enable farmers to access capital resources;

• To strengthen and self-development to farmers in Land Reform area; and

• To increase the perennial plantation, food resources and income generation.

Land Reform implementation

The implementation of land reform in Thailand consists of three main phases:

preparation, land distribution and development activities.

In the preparation phase, with the regards to the preparation for land reform
implementation, primary and secondary data are collected and analyses in order to
select potential land reform area. It should be emphasized here that land reform law
takes effete only in the Land Reform Areas (LRA’s). In private lands, the basic criteria
used are the amount of rented land, the number of tenants and the level of farm
productivities. Areas with high tenancy rates and low farm productivities will receive
greater attention than others. In public lands, in which data are relatively scarce, pre-
feasibility studies are also carried out, covering a wide range of subjects such as
topography, geography, location of existing infrastructures, climate, rainfall, farmers’
institutions, as well as social conditions in the area. The basic criteria for selecting land
reform areas in public lands are the size of land held by farmers without land use
permits or ad kind of land documents, and land classification itself. If land is classified
as that for conservation purposes, it must not be used for farming purposes. The
prefeasibility studies offer only rough guidance, because there is a time constraint on
the land reform decision-making process. But they are quite adequate for the purposes
of planning and identification of development activities. In this phase, land reform
implementation in public lands also requires cadastral surveys. After the selection of
suitable areas is submitted to, and approved by the National land Reform Committee
(NLRC), the ALRO will proceed to declare them as LRA’s by royal decree.

The land distribution phase involves partitioning of land into lots and allocating them
among farmers. The public lands belong, by law, to the government; hence there is in
principle no need to purchase or expropriate. In practice, compensation is paid to
squatter families for acquisition of excess land, which is then sold to poor farmers. On
the other hand, the private lands have to be purchased or expropriated for subsequent
redistribution. Compensation is paid at the rate established by the NLRC. The mode of
payment is both in cash and bonds. After lad acquisition, farmers are selected and
allocated with land plots. In private lands, they are required to pay annual installments
to the government for the purchase of land. The same principle applies to the case of
public lands. Land reform beneficiaries are required to pay rent and can even buy land
from ALRO. The purchase price depends on the length of time the beneficiaries have
cultivated the land. However, it has not been determined in actual money terms, and the
farmers because the latter for all purposes regards land as already their own.

The development phase of land reform implementation can take place before or after
land redistribution, depending on the type of activities concerned. For example,
agricultural extension may be carried out, regardless of the final rearrangements of land
plots. But any major on-farm infrastructure which could benefit directly absentee
landlords would likely increase their reluctance to sell the land for the purposes of land
reform. Activities as such will be conducted after land acquisition. Under this phase,
development activities include agricultural extension, agricultural credit, water resources
development land consolidation, development, and public utilities. While it is imperative
that agricultural development must accompany land redistribution, these activities are
by no means an end in themselves. They must continue in the broader national
economic development context. Based on the current policy consideration, ALRO was
assigned to take action on solution of the poverty alleviation and social problems by
utilizing appropriately agricultural land management. The key operations for poverty
alleviation divided into seven issues that have been responding by multi governance
organizations. Inside ALRO, out of seven issues as one; natural resource and
residential management has been implementing by putting them on the process of land
reform implementation.

Is the ALRP effective for the agrarian sector?

Implementation and Results of the ALRP

Something like sufficiency economy philosophy and sustainable development strategies

which stated clearly in the Ninth Plan of National Economic and Social Development
Plan are also part of this program. The aim at alleviation of poverty and the upgrading of
the quality of life are highly applicable to the development strategy of “The Agricultural
Land Reform Office” (ALRO) very well, as the major responsibilities are:

• Land allocation: ALRO conduct land allocation for farmers under the Agricultural
Land Reform Act. The land is from both public and private land.

• Development: ALRO undertakes agricultural infrastructure development in land

reform area by supporting the construction and maintenance of access road and
water resources to enhance the better of farmers living and the capacity of water
use for consumption and agriculture.

• Increasing income: ALRO carry out an improvement of agricultural production

structure, establishing Agricultural Land Reform Cooperatives, providing
agricultural credit and production inputs, developing and supporting on-farm and
off-farm occupation.

In addition, ALRO enable farmers to participate in natural resources and environment

conservation in communities. Thus ALRO co-operates with related agencies in
improving farmers' standard of living according to the existing local conditions of each
area and farmers' needs.

Public land

Public land is the lands belonging to the government which include forest lands,
common lands and government – used lands. Most of the public lands particularly forest
lands are encroached upon for farming. Moreover, land transaction and transfer without
land certificates have been made among the squatters themselves. So far the
government has attempted to deal with these crucial problems by means of land
settlement, thus making certain squatters to be legal landholders. Hence, it is not
surprising that for the time being some parts of public lands are converted into private
lands. At the present, the operation of public land in the whole kingdom have been
allocating for 1.49 million households covering area of 24.94 million rai. In each region,
Northeastern is highest region in the operation of declaration area with 26.26 million rai
and land allocated area with 12.85 million rai as well as higher number of households
were distributed to 0.761 million households. While, the South is lower region than other
in total of land reform area declaration and land allocated areas.

Private land

In terms of land tenure in private lands is identified by ownership and leasehold. The
holders with ownership basis may have title deeds or temporary land certificates. For
leasehold, the holders must pay rent to the landlords or do not have to pay any kind of
rent depending on the agreement made between them. In the agricultural sector,
tenancy problems frequently occur in certain private lands and aggravate rural poverty.

As far as the tenancy problems and land ownership problems are concerned, the
government has included the private lands into the Agricultural Land Reform Program
(ALRP). At the year 2005, the operation of private lands in the whole country have been
allocating for 30,419 households covering area of 0.470 million rai. In each region, the
Central region holds the highest land allocated area which cover 0.295 million rai.
Moreover, numbers of households in the Central were distributed to 20,676 households,
which is higher than other. While, the South region has lower land allocated area.

Other more ALRP-related Projects

Under the Royal Initiatives, on the year 1969 on the hill-tribe village at Chiang Mai, a
province at the North region of Thailand, the King visited it and helped them by funding
a Royal Projects Foundation using only his own funds. The reason is because he is
concerned on the farmers on that village for doing earning of money from their peach
and opium production. Later that year, the government, public and international
organizations, joined the King by contributing more money for the funds of the said
foundation.

On the year of 1995, the Royal Project Foundation funded a large number of
development programs and projects, which have benefited 295 villages and 14,109
rural households. Of the three key development areas of the Royal Projects, the area
focused on marketing-related activities involves research and development on post-
harvest loss prevention, transportation, and packaging, processing and marketing.

Another regarding on this foundation, research and development in processing of food

and other farm produced. The prime objective of the program is to manage the
surpluses produced, while increasing their value added through appropriate processing.
In addition, other income-generating products in particular handicrafts, are also
included. For this, three food processing plants have been constructed, two in Chiang
Mai and one in Chiang Rai. A marketing outlet of these processed fruits and food from
the Royal Projects has been registered in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai under the
brand name of “Doi Kam”.

Another one is the Traditional Folk Arts and Crafts Program organized by the Queen
of Thailand. The Queen of Thailand has long been organizing a program that has
provided rural villagers all over the country with training in the skills of traditional
craftsmanship. The program, known as Silapacheep (artistic profession), also provides
seed money for the rural villagers to obtain necessary inputs for the handicraft products
and a guaranteed marker for them. Among the hundreds of handicraft items produced,
the outstanding ones are the luxurious lady handbags made of a water grass called in
the vernacular “Li Pao.”These are now a highly valued export item from which rural
women have earned much more than they have from any agricultural product.

Under of this program for helping also the Thai people on the rural areas and also on
agrarian reform are some projects.

As the start of this project, the Government allocated some of the budget to the villages
and assigned the responsibility to the Ministry of Interior (MOI) for the implementation
through the Community Development Department. Thus, the Poverty Alleviation
Project has been implemented since 1993.

The support to target households and village committee are by educating, monitoring,
supervising, evaluating and reporting. In term of benefits of the project are both direct
and indirect to the poor households under poverty line, which was lower than 15,000
Baht at that time. The aims or objectives of this project are:
 • To have a fund for occupational investment in the villages;

• To provide the poor people with an opportunity to have a loan without interest;

• To increase more income for the poor people so as to improve the quality of their
lives;

• To create responsibility and sympathy toward one another in the village; and

• To strengthen the village committee potential and to empower the local

organizations (decentralization).

Also, the Poverty Eradication Center is one of the projects under the TFACP of the
Queen. Aiming to serve as the core agency to integrate plans projects activities and
funds for all related government units, local administrative organizations, and private
organization and people’s organizations, in the flight against poverty. The main
objective is to tackle poverty in a holistic manner.

The Government had announced the poverty alleviation policy as a national agenda. It
launched a nationwide poverty registration program to allow people all cover the country
to register their grievances with authority since 2004. According to the outcome of the
registration program, more than eight million people came up to register with a total of
12million problems. People in the program were divided into seven categories: landless
people, the homeless, illegal business operators, needy schoolchildren and students,
those who have fallen victim to dishonest schemes, debt-ridden people, and those
wishing to have their own house.

The result is good. The progress of the Government’s efforts to tackle poverty that
among the problems raised by registered people. And the most serious one was the
debt problem. About five million people registered the debt problem, around 2 million
registered the landless, about 0.25 million needy schoolchildren and students registered
the problem of financial support for their studies, and about 91,000 people stated that
they had fallen into dishonest schemes. Moreover, the number of the registered jobless
and homeless people was 6,521. Almost 6,500 people registered problems concerning
illegal businesses. More than 1.3 million people registered other problems.

The government was planned a poverty eradication caravans. Those caravans will help
to solve the poverty problems across the country. The Cabinet of Thai government
approved guidelines for poverty eradication caravans arranged by the National poverty
Eradication Center. The caravan project comes after the nationwide poverty registration
program. The project is in line with the Government’s road map against poverty, which
is divided into three phases. The first phases implemented in 2004. The operation was

to involve analysis of poverty problems and guideline for solving the problem. The
second phase is implementing since 2005, its period cover to 2006. This phase aim to
involve the easing of people’s hardships and other related issues. And the third phase
which will carryout from 2007 to 2008. This phase prepare to calls for sustainability in
tackling poverty and other related problems.

Those are the programs of the Kingdom of Thailand regarding on their economic,
agrarian reform and rural development. They do this for the benefit of their people in
their country. But how about our country, Philippines? We must go back to the recent
program implemented since Aquino’s administration.

COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM (CARP)

"A nation where there is equitable land ownership and empowered agrarian reform
beneficiaries who are effectively managing their economic and social development for a
quality of life".

Regarding on its definition, some people defines that the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program is a program of the government that aims to transfer effective
management of a land ownership from the landowners to their tenants such as famers
or workers to have their economic and social development for a quality of life of each.
Some tells that CARP is a social justice and poverty alleviation program which seeks to
empower the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) through equitable distribution
and ownership of the land based on the principle of land to the tiller. It likewise provides
opportunities for a dignified and improved quality of life of the ARBs through the
provision of adequate support services for sound rural development and the
establishment of economic-size farms as the basis of Philippine agriculture.

Whatever their defined the CARP, those definitions relates on the vision of the program:
"A nation where there is equitable land ownership and empowered agrarian reform
beneficiaries who are effectively managing their economic and social development for a
quality of life". So we will say that CARP is a program for the economic and social
development, not only for the agrarian sector, it’s also for the Filipino people, to make a
quality life sustaining the needs of each.
Back to it’s past

Like what the Philippine history told us, Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) of the year 1988 under the Corazon Aquino’s government
is the “basis” for the implementation of CARP. This law embodies the state policy of
processing CARP aimed at liberating the vast potential wealth of Philippine agriculture
by giving the majority of the Filipinos the real and rightful stake in the land. This is what
I think the “most” change of the Philippine Agrarian Reform. Year 1992 when Fidel
Valdez Ramos, the next president, create the Republic Act No. 7905, an act to
strengthen the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and the
Other Purposes. Until now, the CARP was existed.

Coverage of CARP

It covers, regardless of tenure arrangement and commodity produced, all public and
private agricultural lands as provided in Proclamation No. 131 and Executive Order No.
229, including other lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture

More specifically, the following lands are covered by CARP:

• All alienable and disposable lands of the public domain devoted to or suitable for
agriculture;

• All lands of the public domain in excess of the specific limits as determined by
Congress in Section 4 (a) of R.A. No. 6657;

• All other lands owned by the government devoted to or suitable for agriculture;
and

• All private lands devoted or suitable for agriculture regardless of the agricultural
products raised or that can be raised thereon.

About the Implementation (Agencies)

It is good for us to understand how the people, especially people that need the
information about and benefited to this present Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program, know and relates themselves to the said program. In that case, we will say
that the CARP is was implemented. One of the factors is by the help of some following
agencies like:

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is the “lead implementing agency” of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). It was created in 1971 under
Republic Act No. 6389 to replace the Land Authority, which was the agency created in
1963 under Republic Act No. 3844 to carry out the “Agricultural Land Reform Code of
the Philippines”.

As “lead implementing agency” of the CARP, DAR’s mandate is to carry out the
principal aspects of the Program, which are Land Tenure Improvement (LTI), Program
Beneficiary Development (PBD), and the Delivery of Agrarian Justice (DAJ).

How does the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) help the farmers? There are
specific ways in which DAR helps the plight of farmers:

• Distribution of all agricultural lands regardless of tenurial arrangement and

commodities produced. For non-land distribution however, the DAR strengthens
and protects the farmers security of tenure in leasehold and stock distribution
option.

• Delivery of appropriate support services such as intensification of support

services; rural enterprise development, promotion of self-reliant livelihood
programs, continuous social marketing and advocacy campaigns.

• Agrarian justice for agrarian-related cases (e.g. legal representation &

adjudication of cases)

In DAR land distribution program that uniformly implemented in the country, it would
depend on the hectare target of the region. There are regions with high CARP scope
and the others are high on non-Land Acquisition & Distribution (LAD) programs. Those
with large remaining land acquisition balances are those with problematic landholdings
which are currently being worked out by the DAR. (e.g., CARP balances in Negros,
Region V balances, etc.).

DAR also has a continuous education and information campaign. For instance, the
Agrarian Reform (AR) Advocacy Program is conducted regularly in schools and
institutions who would like to be oriented on CARP. Also, the Department also farms out
information kit, newsletters, brochures, primers and other IEC materials for
dissemination and distribution to the public. It also accommodates walk-in researchers
from different sectors. This policy holds true to all DAR offices (local and national).
Regarding on ARB (Agrarian Reform Community), DAR, in coordination with the
Barangay Agrarian Reform Community (BARC) registers agricultural lessees, tenants
and farmworkers who are qualified to be beneficiaries of CARP. These potential
beneficiaries with the assistance of the BARC and the DAR shall provide the following
data:

• Names and members of their immediate farm household;

• Owners or administrators of the lands they work on and length of tenurial

relationship;

• Location and area of the land they work;

• Crops planted; and

• Share in the harvest or amount of rental paid or wages received

In the part of ARB, his or her obligations would be as follows to qualify as a beneficiary
of CARP:

• The agricultural productivity of the land should be maintained; and

• The change in the nature of the use of the land shall be protected except with the
approval of the DAR under its rules on conversion or exemption.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is also concerned

on CARP. The 8,061,864 hectares of agricultural land that is targeted to be distributed
by the Philippine Government under the CARP is divided into:

• privately-owned lands,

• government-owned lands, and

• public Alienable and Disposable (A&D) lands.

The distribution of the first two categories of lands, which comprise 4,290,453 hectares,
is the responsibility of the DAR, while the distribution of the third category – the public
A&D lands – is the responsibility of the DENR. A total of 3,771,411 hectares of public
A&D lands are targeted for distribution by the DENR, primarily to those who have
occupied and cultivated these lands for at least thirty (30) years, and have religiously
paid real estate taxes on them. The DENR issues “Free Patents” to these persons and
these Free Patents are eventually converted into Original Certificates of Title (OCTs)
once registered with the Registry of Deeds (ROD) of the Land Registration Authority
The DENR is also responsible for the survey of public A & D lands that it distributes,
and for the inspection, verification and approval of surveys carried out by DAR on the
lands that it has targeted for coverage under the CARP.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) was originally charged with providing technical
assistance to the ARBs in their agricultural production by way of facilitating their access
to production inputs, marketing and credit information, and post-production facilities
However, with the devolution of agricultural extension services to the Local Government
Units (LGUs) pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1992, this assistance is now
undertaken by the Provincial and Municipal Agriculturists who are part of the LGU
bureaucracy, with the DA providing technical assistance to special projects that are of
national coverage. However, the DA is still responsible for national programs for
agricultural improvement. Hence, it still works with the DAR in the implementation of
such programs among the ARBs, especially those in the Agrarian Reform Communities.

The LBP or the Land Bank of the Philippines was specifically established by law to
be, as its name suggests, the financial arm of the Philippine agrarian reform program.
Its primary responsibility is the valuation and payment of lands that are acquired by the
Government for distribution to the farmer beneficiaries, and collection of the
amortization payments for those lands from the beneficiaries.

The Land Bank is also the major source of credit assistance to the ARBs, particularly
those which are organized into cooperatives. It extends credit to the cooperatives on a
“wholesale basis”, and the cooperatives, in turn, “retail” such credit to their members. To
enable the cooperatives to “retail” the credit to their members at lower-than-market
rates, and still earn a small profit out of this operation, the Land Bank extends the credit
to the cooperatives at subsidized rates.

The Bank also has a commercial lending window through which it lends to small and
medium industries at commercial rates. The profits that it derives from this commercial
operation are what it uses to subsidize its lending to the cooperatives.

Other agencies are helping CARP on its small needs such as promoting it to the
barangays, rehabilitating farm-to-market roads, establishing market-linkage, etc.

Present status of the program: the results

Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo creates the Bayan-Anihan Program for Rural Development or

BPRD, which is known as Bayan-Anihan. The Bayan-Anihan is one of the Department
of Agrarian Reform’s programs under the Arroyo’s administration. The aims of this
program is to fast tracking of land acquisition and distribution, integrating, rationalizing
and institutionalizing the delivery of support services, swift delivery of social justice,
promoting peace, intensifying and socializing marketing, and modernizing DAR
bureaucracy.
Regarding on their aims, also earlier, before we discussed about the “Agrarian Reform
Program of Thailand”, I told that the government developed a “projects” that under of
the Agrarian Reform program which are:

• “Land Tenure Development”;

• “Provisions of Good Services”;

• “Infrastructure Projects”;

• “KALAHIARZone”; and

• “Agrarian Justice”.

The objectives of this “projects” are similar on what Bayan-Anihan some aims.

Land Tenure Development discussed what will DAR‘s next move. DAR will remain
vigorous in implementing land acquisition and distribution regards to the implementation
of CARP.

Meanwhile, the Provisions of Good Services tells what are the other things that the
CARP must have, which is the support services such as credit assistance, irrigation,
extension services, farm-to-market roads, market facilities and establishments, and
training and technical skills programs.

Next is Infrastructure Projects. DAR wants that the ARC’s or Agrarian Reform
Communities will transform from an area that focuses on the delivery of support
services, into a rural economic zone that will create some job opportunities in the
countryside.

About the KALAHIARZone or KApit-bisig LAban sa kaHIrapan Agrian Reform Zone is

sub-provincial area consist of one or more local government or municipalities which has
a great ARC population to achieve a great agro-productivity. It is also concentrated on
the partnership and rural development efforts of some agencies of government and
LGU’s.

And last, the Agrarian Justice. To help and clear a “backlog” of agrarian cases, DAR
will hire more paralegal officers to support undermanned adjudicatory boards and
introduce a quota system to compel adjudicators to work faster regarding on their
agrarian cases. In doing this, DAR must respect the rights of agrarian-related people
and workers.

COMPARISON
This comparison statement will be also the summarization of my comparative study.
As we can see, there are some similarities on both countries’ agrarian reform program.
Between the Agricultural Land Reform Program of Thailand and the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program of the Philippines, they are similar that:

• they want the tenants and landless farmworkers has an own equal land that
he/she will be the owner;

• they want those people will solved the agrarian-related problems, especially on
their lands by sustaining them the needed things and support services, in result
that those people will maintain it;

• they want each beneficiaries will maintain a good life for their selves as well as
for their families and good relations to others; and

• they want to inform other people about the importance of those programs to the
society and for the country as well.

Both countries since can be classified as agricultural country, the government of each
concentrates on what are the needs. Also, they want to fight poverty and lessen rural
areas by giving some development, even though it’s very hard to achieve.

CONCLUSION

This study highlighted the importance of the programs of the agrarian reform sector for
us. Owning land is not sufficient to minimize risks and general problems. This study also
told us that the government are doing all that they can do for their people, particularly
for the very poor. On the part of comparison, we compared our Philippine Agrarian
Reform Program to other agrarian reform programs of other countries like Thailand’s
Agricultural Land Reform Program just to know what are part of their that can be adopt
of ours like their Royal Projects Foundation and the Traditional Folk Arts and Crafts
Program and see how the both programs similar on their objectives.
But to be the result, differences was seeing on the two agrarian reform programs.

However, there are many programs/projects that related on those two, some are
successful in a certain time, but some didn’t reach their achievements. Implementing a
program that didn’t think and analyze the factors can be probable reason for a failure.

Some factors that affects are population increase, income gap, limit of land, high
demand of world food consumption, environmental degradation, etc. Therefore,
concerted efforts of parties concerned will be needed to fulfill the goal of agrarian reform
and development of a country generally.

REFERENCES:

Navarro, Conrado S. “Institutional Aspects of Policy Implementation and

Management of the Philippine Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.”
dated April, 2007.

Boras, Saturnino M. Jr. “CARP on its 12th Year: A Closer Examination of the
Agrarian Reform Performance.” dated June, 2000.
Department of Agrarian Reform, http://www.dar.gov.ph as of September,
2008.

Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO), Ministry of Agriculture and

Cooperative (MOAC), “National Report for Agrarian Reform and Rural
Development in Thailand”.
Dated February, 2006.

Wikipedia, “Thailand”, http://www.wikipedia.com as of September, 2008.