Agrarian Reform History
Agrarian Reform History
SERIES 2006
AGRARIAN REFORM HISTORY
Bureau of Agrarian Reform Information and Education
Agrarian Reform History
Why is history of Philippine agrarian reform important? The Philippine agrarian reform history teaches us valuable lessons and insights about the past agrarian reform programs and the peasant initiatives that contributes to the evolution of the Philippine agrarian reform program from the pre-colonial times to the present administration.
Pre-Colonial Times (Before 16th Century)
What was the type of land ownership during the pre-Spanish time and how was it cultivated? Land was commonly owned by the community known as barangay a small unit of government consisting of 30-100 families administered by the chiefs. Land cultivation was done commonly by kaingin system or the slash and burn method wherein land was cleared by burning the bushes before planting the crops or either land was plowed and harrowed before planting. How do they practice mutual sharing of resources? Everyone in the barangay regardless of status had access on the land and mutually share resources and the fruits of their labor. They believed in and practiced the concept of “stewardship” where relationship between man and nature is important. What was the economic system during this period? Food production was intended for family consumption only. Later, neighboring communities where engaged in a barter trade, exchanging their goods with others. Some even traded their agricultural products with luxury items of some foreign traders like Chinese, Arabs and Europeans. Was leasing and selling of lands exercised during this period? The Maragtas Code seems to be the only recorded transaction of land sale during this time. This tells us about the selling of the Panay island by the natives to the ten Bornean datus in exchange of a golden salakot and a long gold necklace. Although the Code of Luwaran was one of the oldest written laws of the Muslim society which contains
SERIES 2006
AGRARIAN REFORM HISTORY
Bureau of Agrarian Reform Information and Education
Agrarian Reform History
Why is history of Philippine agrarian reform important? The Philippine agrarian reform history teaches us valuable lessons and insights about the past agrarian reform programs and the peasant initiatives that contributes to the evolution of the Philippine agrarian reform program from the pre-colonial times to the present administration.
Pre-Colonial Times (Before 16th Century)
What was the type of land ownership during the pre-Spanish time and how was it cultivated? Land was commonly owned by the community known as barangay a small unit of government consisting of 30-100 families administered by the chiefs. Land cultivation was done commonly by kaingin system or the slash and burn method wherein land was cleared by burning the bushes before planting the crops or either land was plowed and harrowed before planting. How do they practice mutual sharing of resources? Everyone in the barangay regardless of status had access on the land and mutually share resources and the fruits of their labor. They believed in and practiced the concept of “stewardship” where relationship between man and nature is important. What was the economic system during this period? Food production was intended for family consumption only. Later, neighboring communities where engaged in a barter trade, exchanging their goods with others. Some even traded their agricultural products with luxury items of some foreign traders like Chinese, Arabs and Europeans. Was leasing and selling of lands exercised during this period? The Maragtas Code seems to be the only recorded transaction of land sale during this time. This tells us about the selling of the Panay island by the natives to the ten Bornean datus in exchange of a golden salakot and a long gold necklace. Although the Code of Luwaran was one of the oldest written laws of the Muslim society which contains