Agrarian Reform of Magsaysay

President Ramón Magsaysay enacted the following laws as part of his Agrarian Reform Program:
Agrarian Reform Programs
1. Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954 • LASEDECO was abolished and established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration • Main goal was to resettle landless farmers, and aimed at the rebels who returned to provide them with lots for home and farming in Palawan and Mindanao
2. Republic Act No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) • Created the court of Agrarian Relations • The leasehold system and share-tenancy were organized to oversee the relationship between tenants and landowners
3. Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955) • Land Tenure Administration (LTA) were in charge of the possessing and distributing tenanted rice and corn lands (200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for corporations)
4. Republic Act No. 821 (Creation of Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing Administration) • Small farmers and tenants low interests of between six to eight percent with their loans
5. Reparation Agreement • An agreement between Japan and the Philippines to pay the latter five hundred fifty million U.S. dollars ($550,000) as payment for the war damages of World War II.
6. Bell Trade Act of 1946 into the Laurel-Langley Agreement • It eradicated the authority of the United States to have control over the exchange rate of the Philippines peso, parity privileges reciprocal, extended the sugar quota. This agreement retained the economic subservience between the U.S. and the Philippines.
7. Agricultural Commodities Agreement with the U.S. (1957) • perpetuating the colonial pattern of the nation’s economy
8. Anti-subversion Law • Law that limited the citizen’s democratic rights of assembly, free speech, and belief.
BENEFICIARIES OF THE LAWS AND PROGRAMS
Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954

• Rebel returnees and as well as landless farmers benefitted for they were given home lots and farm lands

Republic Act No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) • Although the law amended on the tenancy problem, farmers benefitted from the distribution of crops on a certain basis • The main problem of tenurial system was not given notice
Magsaysay's administration launched major programs of land reform, social welfare, and public works. It benefited farmers by resettling landless peasants in pioneer areas, establishing an agricultural tenancy commission and court of agrarian relations, forming an agricultural credit and cooperative financing agency, and creating more rural banks to compete with usurious moneylenders. Magsaysay promised reform in every segment of Philippine life, but he was frustrated in his efforts by a conservative congress that represented the interests of the wealthy.
Contribution to the Economy
As president, he was a close friend and supporter of the United States and a vocal spokesman against communism during the Cold War. He led the foundation of theSoutheast Asia Treaty Organization also known as the Manila Pact of 1954, that aimed to defend South East Asia, South Asia and the Southwestern Pacific from communism. He was also known for his integrity and strength of character.
During his term, he made Malacañáng Palace literally a "house of the people", opening its gates to the public.