UNIT TWO

(Land Reform in the Philippines)

INTRODUCTION

Unequal distribution of land has been regarded as the source of economic inequality and
conflict in our country, the government has initiated the land reform programs to address this,
but despite the effort of the government, many landlords were able to find ways to circumvent
the land in order to save their lands from the program. The land reform programs, if successfully
implemented, can uplift the standard of living of the farmers and improve the agricultural
productivity of the country. It is through the program that the big percentage of the population
living below poverty line can be eliminated and the prices of agricultural products will be more
affordable to the people.
It is the responsibility of the government to bring social justice and land reform is one
way to achieve it. Through strict enforcement of the laws governing land reform and
implementation of corresponding penalties for its violation is the only way to achieve this long
aspiration of our farmers.

The Philippine Rice Share Tenancy Act

(Public Act 4054)

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After having gone through lesson, the student will be able to:

 Create a situation on when can tenant leave his/her landlord.

 Make a situation on when to dismiss a tenant.
 Discuss the flaws of Rice Share Tenancy Act.

INTRODUCTION
 From 1903 to 1938 there was an increase in tenancy rate and land ownership decreased.
The decreased was directly attributed to the tendency toward greater concentration of farms in
the hands of fewer individuals and in the rapid increase in the number operated under some form
of tenancy.
As the tenancy problem grew during the 1930’s, opposition broke out in the high tenancy
areas. The Sakdalista Movement founded in 1930 by Benigno Ramos, a high-level government
employee, opposed President Quezon and the forthcoming Commonwealth, since he felt it would
merely strengthen the cacique system. He initiated the so-called “May 2 Uprising”. The uprising
was participated by more than 60,000 Sakdalistas with 69 casualties and 1000 injured.
Indeed, the agrarian problem festered for so long time that the 1935 Constitution
incorporated a cardinal principle on social justice to insure the well-being and economic security
of all the people. To give substance and meaning to this principle, several laws were enacted to
protect the working class both in industry and agriculture (Leaño & Corpuz, 2012).

Salient Features of the Philippine Rice Share Tenancy

The intent of the law was to regulate share-tenancy contracts by establishing minimum
standards. It aims to strengthen tenant-landlord relationship through a 50-50 crop sharing, a 10%
interest ceiling on loans by the tenants and non-dismissal of tenants on tenuous grounds.

Rice Share Contract Defined

A contract of share tenancy is one whereby a partnership between a landlord and a tenant
is entered into, for a joint pursuit of rice agricultural work with common interest in which both
parties divide between them the resulting profits as well as the losses.

Landlord and Tenant

Landlord shall mean and includes either a natural or juridical person who is the real
owner of the land which is the subject-matter of the contract, as well as a lessee, usufructuary or
any other legitimate possessor of agricultural land cultivated by another.
Tenant shall mean a farmer or farm labourer who undertakes to work and cultivate land
for another or a person who furnishes the labor.
Execution of Contract
 Under the Act, the contract of share tenancy in order to be valid and binding shall be
drawn in triplicate in the language or dialect known to all the parties thereto, to be assigned or
thumb-marked both by the landlord or his authorized representative and by the tenant, before two
witnesses, one to be chosen by each party. The party who does not know how to read and write
may request one of the witnesses to read the contents of the document. Each of the contracting
parties shall retain a copy of the contract and the third copy shall be filed with, and registered,
both the copy of the landlord and that of the tenant shall contain an annotation made by the
municipal treasurer to the effect that same is registered in his office.

Registration of Tenancy Contract

The municipal treasurer of the municipality wherein the land, which is the subject-matter
of a contract, is situated, shall keep a record of all contracts made within his jurisdiction, to be
known as Registry of Tenancy Contracts. He/she shall make annotations on said registry. The
registration of said contract shall be exempted from the documentary stamp tax.

Duration of the Contract

The duration of any rice tenancy contract shall last in accordance with the stipulation of
the parties. In the absence of any stipulation, it shall be understood to last only during one
agricultural year. The contract maybe renewed in writing and registered as provided in section 4
of the Act within 30 days after the expiration of the original period, the same shall be presumed
to be extinguished. In the case of renewing the contract without changing the stipulations, the
municipal treasurer shall annotate the word “renewed” in the three copies of the contract and in
the Registry of Tenancy Contracts.

Agricultural Year Meaning

One agricultural year shall mean the length of time necessary for the preparation of the
land, sowing, planting and harvesting a crop, although it may be shorter or longer than a calendar
year.
The Sakdalista uprising was a peasant rebellion in Central Luzon (Bulacan and Laguna)
provinces on the night of May 2–3, 1935. Though quickly crushed, the revolt warned of Filipino
peasant frustration with the oppressive land tenancy situation which eventually paved the way
for the emergence of the infamous Japanese collaborators/traitors MAKAPILI.
The Sakdal (Tagalog: “Accuse”) movement was initially founded in 1930 by Benigno Ramos
(1893-1946) , a former government clerk. The sakdalistas hoisted a plain red flag and
established a Republic and provisional government in San ildefonso, Bulacan Province. Gaining
as many as 20,000 members the group launched an attempted uprising in May 1935 but this was
quickly crushed and Ramos went into exile in Japan. In May 12 , 1935 the Republic and his
government ceased to exist.

Ramos then started another political movement as leader of the Ganap Party which contested the
1941 elections devoted to the full independence of the Philippines from U.S.A.. During the
Japanese occupation Ganap became part of the governing coalition Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa
Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI; Association for Service to the New Philippines). KALIBAPI, was
a Filipino political party that served as the sole party of state during the Japanese occupation
intended to be a Filipino version of Japan's governing Taisei Yokusankai party. Ramos
eventually formed the Makabayang Katipunan ng Ligang Pilipino (MAKAPILI), a militant youth
movement that aimed to provide soldiers for Japan and to limit the power of José Paciano Laurel
y García, (March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) who was the president of the Second Philippine
Republic, a Japanese puppet state during World War II.
The followers of Ramos and his ally Artemio Ricarte were eventually armed by the Japanese in
December 1944 by the time the Americans had already landed.

1945- "Makapilis were armed and fighting against U.S. forces who killed and tortured many
Filipinos. Many gave themselves up while some were rounded up by U.S. and Filipino patrols in
the hills of north Pagsanjan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. They were all gathered in the town square
for questioning."

Accounts differ on what happened to Ramos after the fall of the Philippines. Some claim that he
was killed in an airplane crash in Baguio along with the retreating Japanese .
Sakdal Uprising, also called Sakdalista Uprising, brief peasant rebellion in the agricultural area
of central Luzon, Philippines, on the night of May 2–3, 1935. Though quickly crushed, the revolt
of the Sakdals (or Sakdalistas) warned of Filipino peasant frustration with the oppressive land
tenancy situation.

The Sakdal (Tagalog: “Accuse”) movement was founded in 1930 by Benigno Ramos, a
discontented former government clerk. Drawing strength from illiterate, landless peasants, the
movement advocated a drastic reduction of taxes on the poor and a radical land reform, including
a breakup of the large estates. It also opposed the policy of the dominant Nacionalista Party of
accepting gradual independence from the United States, demanding instead immediate severance
of all Philippine-American ties.

During the early 1930s the Sakdals seemed to draw inspiration from Gandhi’s noncooperation
movement in India and urged nonparticipation in government, boycott of elections, and
withholding of taxes. In 1933 the Sakdals organized as a political party. They did surprisingly
well in the Philippine election of 1934 and were thus encouraged to attempt an uprising the
following year.

On the night of May 2, partially armed mobs seized municipal buildings in 14 towns. The
uprising was crushed the next day, with the loss of about 100 lives. Ramos fled to Tokyo and the
Sakdals were disbanded, but rural conditions remained a source of frustration and dissension and
led to numerous other such peasant rebellions.

Benigno Ramos (1893-1946) was an advocate for the independence of the Philippines from the
United States who collaborated with Japan. became leader of the Ganap Party which contested
the 1941 elections (although Ramos himself was imprisoned during the vote). During the
Japanese occupation this group became part of the KALIBAPI governing coalition, whilst
Ramos formed the Makapili, a militant youth movement that aimed to limit the power of José P.
Laurel and to provide soldiers for Japan. The followers of Ramos and his ally Artemio Ricarte
were eventually armed by the Japanese in December 1944 by which time the Americans had
already landed.
Aside from being a co-founder of the MAKAPILI, Ramos was also the leader of the pro-
Japanese political party “Ganap” and earlier, the peasant Sakdalista Movement which advocated
radical land reform and complete independence from the US.

While he may have undoubtedly looked like a whining militant/pro-Japanese collaborator, a

closer look at Ramos’ life would reveal he was a nationalist at heart. Originally a teacher at a
high school in Manila, he had joined an unauthorized strike after an American teacher derided
the students with racial slurs. After resigning from his post, he created his newspaper Sakdal (“to
accuse”) wherein he outlined the grievances of the masses against the government and the
Americans whom he accused of enriching themselves at the expense of the lower classes.

Also Read: 10 Biggest Misconceptions About World War II In The Philippines

Ramos’ followers later staged a failed uprising on May 2, 1935, forcing him to seek exile in
Japan. As with Ricarte, the Japanese exploited Ramos’ desire for an independent Philippines,
bringing him back to his country and using him for their own ends.
Accounts differ on what happened to Ramos after the fall of the Philippines; some claim that he
was killed in an airplane crash in Baguio along with the retreating Japanese.
As well as his political activism, Ramos was also noted as a writer of poetry with a collection
Mga Agam-agam at Iba Pang Tula due for publication.