COURSE OUTLINE FOR AGRARIAN REFORM LAW

AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION

Atty. Darwin P. Angeles
The Firm Villaraza & Angangco
Email: angelesdarwin@gmail.com
Mobile 0917 835 6675
Course Description
This two unit course is designed to provide law students an insight into the
core concepts of Philippine constitutional concept of social justice and how
the same is implemented in social justice legislation governing agrarian
reform, indigenous peoples rights and urban poor housing and development.
The focus of the course will be on agrarian reform with discussions on the
historical background and key ideas underpinning this important social
justice legislation. The student will also be given some perspectives on the
agrarian reform dispute resolution mechanisms, whether administrative or
judicial.
The course aims to provide the student not simply with a working and
practical knowledge of agrarian reform law to assist potential clients, but
also to develop their respective perspectives on how the social justice thrust
of the 1987 Constitution should be interpreted and made a reality under the
Philippine legal system.
I.

Social Justice Under the 1987 Constitution

Alberto T. Muyot, Social Justice and the Constitution: Aiming for
Utopia?, 70 Phil. L.J. pp. 310 to 355 (1996).
Calalang v. Williams, 70 Phil. 726 (1940)

II.

Philippine Agrarian Reform Law

A. Historical Background
Jose Elvinia, Is Land Reform a Failure in the Philippines? An Assessment
on CARP in Limits of Good Governance in Developing Countries, pp.
333 to 362 (2011) available at: http://www2.gsid.nagoyau.ac.jp/blog/anda/files/2012/01/10_jose-elvinia1.pdf
Article: Law on Agrarian Reform, by Recaredo Barte, 1991 Edition, pp.
1-18 (Introduction).

Senate Deliberations on RA 6657, pages 163 to 196, Rufus T.

Rodriguez, Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law Annotated (2004).

B. Constitutional and Legislative Development

Friar Lands Act (Act No. 1120, 26 April 1904)
1935 Constitution, Article XIII, Section 6
Public Land Act (Commonwealth Act No. 141, as amended, 1
December 1936), Sections 11 to 57
1. Maintenance of Agrarian Peace
Agricultural Tenancy Act of the Philippines (RA No. 1199, 30 August
1954)
Code of Agrarian Reforms, Sections 1 to 48 (RA No. 3844, as
amended by RA No. 6389, 10 September 1971)
2. Land Redistribution
1973 Constitution, Article XIV, Section 12
Code of Agrarian Reforms, Sections 49 to 140 (RA No. 3844, as
amended by RA No. 6389, 10 September 1971)
Tenant Emancipation Decree (PD No. 27, Operation Land Transfer
[OLT], 21 October 1972)
Proclamation 131 dated 22 July 1987 (Instituting a Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program [CARP])
1987 Constitution, Article II, Section 21; Article XIII, Sections 4 to 8
The right of landless farmers and farmworkers to own the
lands they till
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (RA 6657, 10 June 1988)
RA 7881 (Exemption of Fishponds and Prawn Farms from CARP, 20
February 1995)

 RA 9700 (Strengthening the CARP, 7 August 2009)

3. Dispute Resolution Mechanism
Code of Agrarian Reforms, Sections 141 to 159 (RA No. 3844, as
amended by RA No. 6389, 10 September 1971)
Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, Section 44 (Abolishing Courts of Agrarian
Relations)
Executive Order 228 dated 17 July 1987 (Declaring Full Land
Ownership to Qualified Beneficiaries covered by PD 27)
Executive Order 129-A dated 26 July 1987 (Modifying EO 129
Reorganizing and Strengthening DAR)
C. Concepts of Agrarian Reform
a. Agrarian Peace (State Power in Tenancy Relations)
Soliman v. Pampanga Sugar Development Company, Inc., 589
SCRA 236 (2009)
Perez-Rosario v. Court of Appeals, (2006), 494 SCRA 66 (2006)
b. Revolutionary Expropriation
Association of Small Landowners v. Secretary of Agrarian
Reform, 175 SCRA 343 (1989)
Confederation of Sugar Producers Association, Inc. v. Department
of Agrarian Reform, 519 SCRA 582 (2007)
c. Forced Sale
Hospicio de San Jose de Barili, Cebu City v. Department of
Agrarian Reform, (2005).
d. Right of Farmers to Own Lands They Till/Agrarian
Reform and Social Justice
Hacienda Luisita Inc. v. Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, 653
SCRA 154 (2011, main opinion; dissenting opinion of C.J. Corona)
Hacienda Luisita Inc. v. Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, 660
SCRA 525 (2011, main opinion)
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Hacienda Luisita Inc. v. Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, 670

SCRA 392 (2012, main opinion; separate opinion of J. Brion;
dissenting opinion of J. Sereno).
D. Agrarian Reform Program Coverage
a. OLT Rice and Corn Lands
Aninao v. Asturias Chemical Industries, Inc., 464 SCRA 526
(2005).
b. CARP
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 4
1. Exclusions
a. Non-agricultural Lands
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 3(c)
Department of Justice Opinion No. 44
Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association v. Nicolas,
567 SCRA 540 (2008).
Buklod nang Magbubukid sa Lupaing Ramos, Inc. v. E.M.
Ramos and Sons, Inc., 645 SCRA 401 (2011).
Heirs of Luna v. Afable, 689 SCRA 207 (2013).
b. Poultry and Livestock Farms
Luz Farms v. Secretary of Agrarian Reform, 192 SCRA
151 (1989).
Republic v. Salvador N. Lopez Agri-business Corporation,
639 SCRA 49 (2011). [Actual and direct use
requirement]
c. Landowners Right of Retention
Daez v. Court of Appeals, 325 SCRA 856 (2001)
Heirs of Aurelio Reyes v. Garilao, 605 SCRA 294 (2009).
2. Lands Exempted from CARP Coverage
a. Education
Department of Agrarian Reform v. Department of
Education Culture and Sports, 426 SCRA 217 (2004).
b. National Defense
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Department of Agrarian Reform v. Philippine

Communications Satellite Corporation, 490 SCRA 729
(2006).
c. Watersheds
Sta. Rosa Realty Development Corporation v. Amante, 453
SCRA 432 (2005).
d. Fishponds and Prawn Farms
Atlas Fertilizer Corporation v. Secretary, Department of
Agrarian Reform, 274 SCRA 30 (1997).
e. Tourism Purposes
Roxas & Company, Inc. v. DAMBA-NFSW, 607 SCRA 33
(2009).
f. Lands with 18% Slope
DAR Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 1990
E. Land Acquisition and Distribution Process
a. OLT
Sigre v. Court of Appeals, 387 SCRA 15 (2002)
Del Castillo v. Orciga, 500 SCRA 498 (2006)
b. CARP
i. Compulsory Acquisition
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 7, 16
RA 9700, Section 30
DAR Memorandum Circular No. 2, Series of 2014
Holy Trinity Realty & Development Corporation v. Dela
Cruz, 739 SCRA 229 (2014)
Roxas v. Court of Appeals, 329 SCRA 106 (1999).
ii. Voluntary Offer to Sell
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 7 & 19
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iii. Voluntary Land Transfer

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 7, 20, 2, &
31
iv. Stock Distribution Program
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 31
Hacienda Luisita Inc. v. Presidential Agrarian Reform
Council, supra.
v. Agribusiness Venture Agreement (AVA)
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 29
DAR Administrative Order No. 9, Series of 2006
Islanders CARP-Farmers Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose
Cooperative Development, Inc. v. Lapanday Agricultural
and Development Corp., 489 SCRA 80 (2006).
F. Selection of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries
a. OLT
Davao New Town Development Corporation v. Spouses Saliga,
712 SCRA 260 (2013).
b. CARP
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 22, 22-a
Hermoso v. C.L. Realty Corporation, 489 SCRA 556 (2006)
1. Preferred beneficiaries (Children of Landowners)
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 6, par. 1
G. Award of Land
a. OLT Emancipation Patent
Executive Order No. 228
Del Castillo v. Orciga, supra
b. CARP Certificate of Land Ownership Award
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 23-25
Diamond Farms, Inc. v. Diamond Farm Workers Multi-purpose
Cooperative, 677 SCRA 271 (2012).
c. Indefeasibility of Agrarian Reform Titles
Maylem v. Ellano, 592 SCRA 440 (2009).
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Estribillo v. Department of Agrarian Reform, 494 SCRA 218

(2006).
H. Land Tenure Improvement and Support Services
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 37 & 38
RA 10000 Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act
I. Prohibited Acts
a. Illegal Land Transfers
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 6, 27, 70, 73(c)
DAR Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 1989
DAR Administrative Order No. 8, Series of 1995
DAR Administrative Order No. 7, Series of 2011, Section 40
Sta. Monica Industrial Corporation v. Department of Agrarian
Reform, 555 SCRA 97 (2008)
Lebrudo v. Loyola, 645 SCRA 156 (2011).
Cathay Metal Corporation v. Laguna West Multi-purpose
Cooperative, Inc., 728 SCRA 482 (2014).
Filinvest Land, Inc. v. Adia, G.R. No. 192629, 25 November 2015.
Department of Agrarian Reform v. Carriedo, G.R. No. 176549, 20
January 2016.
b. Criminal Provisions
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 73
J. Just Compensation
a. General Procedure
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 17
DAR Administrative Order No. 7, Series of 2011, Sections 72, 84,
85
b. OLT-acquired Properties
Land Bank of the Philippines v. Natividad, 458 SCRA 441 (2005).
c. CARP-Acquired Properties
i. Strict Application of DAR Formula
Land Bank of the Philippines v. Banal, 434 SCRA 543
(2004).
Land Bank of the Philippines v. Celada, 479 SCRA 495
(2006)

Land Bank of the Philippines v. Luz Lim, 529 SCRA 129

(2007).
ii. Judicial Appreciation of Section 17 Factors
Apo Fruits Corporation v. Land Bank of the Philippines,
632 SCRA 727 (2010).
Apo Fruits Corporation v. Land Bank of the Philippines,
647 SCRA 207 (2011).
Land Bank of the Philippines vs. Yatco Agricultural
Enterprises, 713 SCRA 370 (2014)
d. Imposition of Interest as Penalty for Delay
Land Bank of the Philippines vs. Wycoco, 419 SCRA 67 (2004)
Land Bank of the Philippines vs. Gallego, Jr., 702 SCRA 377
(2013)
K. Land Use Conversion
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 65
DAR Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2002
Chamber of Real Estate Builders Associations, Inc. v. Secretary of
Agrarian Reform, 621 SCRA 295 (2010).
Ros v. Department of Agrarian Reform, 468 SCRA 471 (2005).
Department of Agrarian Reform v. Polo Coconut Plantation Co., Inc.,
564 SCRA 78 (2008)
a. Illegal and Premature Conversion
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 73(c)
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (RA 8435), Section
11
Nicorp Management and Development Corporation v. De
Leon, 563 SCRA 606 (2008)
L. Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 50 to 62
a. Automatic Referral of Cases to the DAR
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Section 50-A
Cuenca v. Department of Agrarian Reform, 439 SCRA 15
(2004).
b. Prohibition Against Injunction, Restraining Order and
Undue Interference
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 55 & 68
8

Department of Agrarian Reform v. Trinidad Valley Realty &

Development Corporation, 715 SCRA 650 (2014).
c. Agrarian Disputes
i. Tenancy Cases
Crisostomo v. Victoria, G.R. No. 175098, 26 August
2015.
Sanchez, Jr. v. Marin, 537 SCRA 323 (2007)
Castillo v. Tolentino, 580 SCRA 629 (2009).
ii. Redemption/Pre-emption Cases
Planters Development Bank v. Garcia, 477 SCRA 185
(2005).
d. Reallocation Proceedings
Heirs of Buensuceso v. Perez, 692 SCRA 491 (2013).
e. Protests Against CARP Coverage
Roxas v. Court of Appeals, supra.
f. Cancellation of Emancipation Patents and Certificates
of Land Ownership Award
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 24, last
paragraph
Heirs of Dr. Jose Deleste v. Land Bank of the Philippines, 651
SCRA 352 (2011).
Mago v. Barbin, 603 SCRA 383 (2009).
g. Determination of Just Compensation
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Sections 16(d), 57 to 60
2009 DARAB Rules of Procedure, Rule XIX, Section 6
Republic v. Court of Appeals, 263 SCRA 758 (1996).
Land Bank of the Philippines v. Martinez, 560 SCRA 776
(2008).
h. Special Proceedings before the Presidential Agrarian
Reform Council
Hacienda Luisita, Inc. v. Presidential Agrarian Reform Council,
supra
III.

Urban land Reform and Housing

1987 Constitution, Article XIII, Sections 9 & 10
Republic Act No. 7279 (UDHA)
9

Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap v. Robredo, 730 SCRA 322 (2014).

Alangdeo v. Yaranon, G.R. No. 206423, 01 July 2015.
Pilar Develppment Corporation v. Dumadag, 693 SCRA 96 (2013).
IV.

Indigenous Peoples Rights

1987 Constitution, Article XIII, Section 6
Republic Act No. 8371 (IPRA)
Cruz v. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, 347 SCRA 128 (2000).
Lim v. Gamosa, G.R. No. 193964, 02 December 2015.
Unduran v. Aberasturi, G.R. No. 181284, 20 October 2015.
Central Mindanao University v. Executive Secretary, 631 SCRA 30
(2009).

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