Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5) — Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives refiled a measure on Tuesday which they said would correct decades of failed agrarian reform programs, including by mandating the free distribution of land to qualified farmers.
Rep. Arlene Brosas, Rep. France Castro, and Rep. Raoul Manuel introduced House Bill 1161, or the Free Land Distribution Act of 2022, a refiled version of the same agrarian reform measure which progressive lawmakers have been lobbying in Congress for the past 15 years.
The proposed law states that the government shall acquire all public and private agricultural lands exceeding five hectares and distribute the lands to farmers at no cost, with the maximum of five hectares to remain with the landowner.
This means eligible agrarian reform beneficiaries no longer need to pay amortization fees, Anakpawis Party-list explained in a statement. It added that the bill would help displaced farmers whose certificate of land ownership awards, certificate of land transfer, emancipation patents (EPs) were cancelled.
Land reform zones for agricultural production will also be designated per province, which will be classified as protected areas.
Brosas said this would ensure food security in the country and is a “genuine and concrete counterpoint” to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s “vague promise” of food sufficiency.
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“HB 1161 also prohibits against the sale, mortgage, transfer or any conveyance or disposition of lands already awarded to farmer-beneficiaries,” Brosas noted.
“Ito ‘yung butas sa kasalukuyang agrarian reform na sinasamantala ng landlords at mga malalaking dayuhang korporasyon sa agrikultura [This is the loophole in our current agrarian reform that landlords and big agricultural corporations are taking advantage of],” she continued.
The Makabayan lawmakers were joined by former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and other peasant and fisherfolk leaders in the filing of House Bill 1161.
The measure was first introduced by the late former Anakpawis Rep. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran in 2007 as House Bill 3059.
