Agrarian Reform in the Philippines: Promoting
Equity and Sustainable Rural Development
Agrarian reform in the Philippines has been a cornerstone of the country's socio-economic
development strategy for decades. Rooted in a history of land inequality, the reform seeks to
address historical injustices, promote social equity, and uplift the lives of rural farmers and landless
workers. This essay explores the history, objectives, challenges, and achievements of agrarian
reform in the Philippines, emphasizing its role in promoting equitable and sustainable rural
development.
The Philippines' agrarian reform has its roots in the country's colonial past, where large
landholdings were concentrated in the hands of a few elites, leaving millions of rural peasants
landless and impoverished. The issue of land inequality persisted even after independence,
perpetuating poverty and social unrest in the countryside. Agrarian reform emerged as a response
to this historical injustice, seeking to redistribute land and provide opportunities for marginalized
farmers.
Objectives of Agrarian Reform
• Land Redistribution: The primary objective of agrarian reform is to redistribute agricultural
land to landless farmers and farmworkers, granting them ownership or tenurial rights.
• Poverty Alleviation: By providing land to landless farmers, agrarian reform aims to reduce
poverty and improve the living conditions of rural communities.
• Social Equity: Agrarian reform seeks to correct the historical disparities in land ownership
and promote a more equitable distribution of resources.
