CARP vs.

CARPER

Land Reforms in the Philippines: Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program

Vs.
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms

Bettina B. Manalo
BSBA-HRDM 2-5N
Prof. Melcah Pascua- Monsura

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

CARP vs. CARPER

ABSTRACT

This research is about the CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) and CARPER
(Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms). This research includes the
history of CARP and CARPER and the coverage of the two. Also, this paper includes my
observations; recommendation to the government about these programs either is it right to
program to distribute to land to the farmers? What is the effect or what are the accomplishments
when CARP was extend and renamed as CARPER. Did the government accomplish the purpose
of CARP and CARPER? All of these questions will be answered as we go through this research.

CARP vs. CARPER

Land Reforms in the Philippines: Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program vs. Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms

Pre-Colonial Times (Before 16th Century)

The Maragtas Code tell us about the selling of Panay Island to the Bornean in exchange of slakot
and gold necklace. And although the code Luwaran was the old was the oldest written law of
muslims, there was no record how this lease arrangement was practiced.

SPANISH ERA (1521-1896)

Repartiamentos for lands granted to the Spanish military as a reward for their
service; and Encomienda a large tracts of land given to Spaniards (encomiendero) t o
manage and have the right to receive tributes from the natives tilling it.
Natives within these areas became mere tillers and they did not even have any rights to the land.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the economy was opened to the world market as exporter
and importer of raw material and finished goods. The hacienda was developed and more people
were forced to become a tiller.

American Era (1898-1935)

The Americans initiated to focus on lands reform because of realizing that being landless was the
main cause of social unrest and revolt at that time, so the American put an end to the miserable
conditions of the small farmers and tillers by passing several land policies.
7
Commonwealth Years (1935-1942)
During this period the tenancy and land situation was, the landlord became powerful while the
tenants became poorer and lost their rights. Also, the landowners became absentees and they left
their farms idle so it became poorly managed. Other one is, the tenants were charged by an unfair
taxation and usury.
Japanese Era

CARP vs. CARPER

The significant events related to Agrarian reform during Japanese Era were, the HUKBALAHAP
or Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon on March 29, 1942, this is an anti-Japanese group.
They took over the vast tracts of lands and gave it to th people. For them, war was a golden
opportunity but at the end of the war the landlords were able to retrieve their lands from the
HUKBALAHAP. (dar.gov.ph)

LAND Reform under Aquino Administration (1986-1992)

During the reign of President Corazon Aquino on 1986, they Commission approves section 21
under Article II, stating that The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and
agrarian reform. and this led to the drafting of CARP. On June 10, 1988, RA No. 6657, also
known as Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL),was passed to promote
industrialization, but this law was founds to have many flaws . Because of that the peasants and
other people grew to implement other program, unfortunately, this did not succeed. CARP
recognizes not only farmers but all landless workers as beneficiaries with the condition that they
cultivate the land. There are two departments in charges for this program and they are
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR).
Land Reform under Ramos Administration (1992-1998)
During his administration, the policies on agrarian reform focused on accelerating the direct land
and non-lands transfer through adopting more fair and inexpensive settlements. It also made an
amendment to Section 63 of CARL to increase the fund for this project. The income of the DAR
workers also increased, this serves as motivation for the better results.
Land Reform under Estrada Administration (1998-2001)
On his administration, it was focused on fast tracking land acquisition and distribution. It wanted
to decrease uncertainties in land market to help farmers. They improved the databases of DAR
and DENR to fully update the lands covered. He highlighted that there is a need to conceptualize
in doing things to build new social agreement.

CARP vs. CARPER

However the program of distributing lands to farmer-beneficiaries continued even after June
2014. Section 30 of RA 9700 or CARPER law states that cases on the matter which are still
pending shall be allowed to proceed to its finality and be executed even beyond such date. [17]
(.dar.gov.ph, 2015) Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) identifies and screens potential
beneficiaries and validates their qualifications. Beneficiaries must be least 15 years old, be a
resident of the barangay where the land holding is located, and own no more than 3 hectares of
agricultural land.[18] (Republic Act No. 9700 , 2015)
ACHIEVEMENTS
The Official Gazette released an update on the accomplishments in the field of agrarian reform as
of June 30, 2014. As of December 31, 2013, the government has acquired and distributed 6.9
million hectares of land, equivalent to 88% of thetotal land subject to CARP. Of this area, the
Aquino administration has distributed a total of 751,514 hectares, or 45% of the total
landholdings to be distributed to the farmer beneficiaries left under this administration. From
this, DAR has distributed 412,782 hectares and DENR has already distributed338,732 hectares.
[19]

( "Q and A: The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, 2015)

COVERAGE OF CARP AND CARPER

CARP

CARP vs. CARPER

SECTION 4. Scope.: The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1989 shall cover, 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 the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program:
(a) All alienable and disposable lands of the public domain devoted to or suitable for agriculture.
No reclassification of forest or mineral lands to agricultural lands shall be undertaken after the
approval of this Act until Congress, taking into account ecological, developmental and
equity considerations, shall have determined by law, the specific limits of the public domain.
(b) All lands of the public domain in excess of the specific limits as determined by Congress in
the preceding paragraph;
(c) All other lands owned by the Government devoted to or suitable for agriculture; and
(d) All private lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture regardless of the agricultural products
raised or that can be raised thereon. (dar.gov.ph)
CARPER
SECTION 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended, is hereby further amended to read
as follows: "SEC. 4. Scope. The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 shall cover,
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: Provided, That landholdings of landowners with a
total area of five (5) hectares and below shall not be covered for acquisition and distribution to
qualified beneficiaries. IHAcCS "More specifically, the following lands are covered by the
CARP: "(a) All alienable and disposable lands of the public domain devoted to or suitable for
agriculture. No reclassification of forest or mineral lands to agricultural lands shall be undertaken

CARP vs. CARPER

after the approval of this Act until Congress, taking into account ecological, developmental and
equity considerations, shall have determined by law, the specific limits of the public domain; "(b)
All lands of the public domain in excess of the specific limits as determined by Congress in the
preceding paragraph; "(c) All other lands owned by the Government devoted to or suitable for
agriculture; and "(d) All private lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture regardless of the
agricultural products raised or that can be raised thereon. "A comprehensive inventory system in
consonance with the national land use plan shall be instituted by the Department of Agrarian
Reform (DAR), in accordance with the Local Government Code, for the purpose of properly
identifying and classifying farmlands within one (1) year from effectivity of this Act, without
prejudice to the implementation of the land acquisition and distribution." (RA 9700 CARPER)
COMPARISON OF CARP AND CARPER
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program or CARP, RA No.6657, also known as the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), this program promotes the right of the landless
farmers in the Philippines. In this program, the Filipino farmers have the rights to received a land
from the landowners, and the government is the one who will pay for it to the land owners using
the funds. This program was signed by former president Corazon Aquino. The best example for
this is the Hacienda Luisita, instead of giving lands to the farmers; the Cojuanco family only
gave some stocks to the farmers. While the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension
with Reforms or CARPER, RA No. 9700, is just an extension of CARP, this program extend the
program to 5 years to allocate the land to the farmer, and this is almost the same with the CARP
because this is just an extension. This program was signed by former president Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo. (Study Mode: CARP and CARPER)

OBSERVATION

CARP vs. CARPER

As an individual, for me CARP and CARPER is such a big help to the farmers in order to
sustain their needs to serve as a reward for their hard work. For me, these two are very important.
I recommend to our government to give time for this law or to give attention, since many farmers
also has their needs, and it is their right to have a land from the land owner. And since our
government already implemented this law years ago, they did not implement what this law has to
be. The did not allocate the land properly to the farmers. Just like the Cojuancos, where in they
only gave the farmers some of the stocks instead of the lands stated in the said Law.
I think it is not right if they replace CARP into CARPER because, the CARPER is just
the extension of the CARP where in it has additional 5 years in order to make the law's
provisions and objectives to happen. And just like my example before, about the Hacienda
Luisita, Arroyo and Cojuanco did agree for this bill. So for me, CARP is better than CARPER
and it's no need for it to be replaced, because some of the provisions of CARPER may bother the
farmer even more. Even the farmers is not agree with this. program Although they add additional
5 years for this to happen, how about the 20 years of CARP that distributed small amount of
land. And how come they will achieve the goals of this bill, if the 20 years of CARP did not
achieve its cut off number of land being distributed to the farmers, so how about the 5 years that
they add?
So, I think the government shall give more attention to this since the Filipino farmers
really need and they have the rights as well and shall not replace the CARP into CARPER
because it is worse.

CARP vs. CARPER

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