Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of 1988, also known as CARP, is a Philippine state policy that ensures and promotes welfare of landless farmers and farm workers, as well as elevation of social justice and equity among rural areas. CARP was established by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 (CARL) which aimed for a nation with equitable land ownership and empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries while, at least, improving social lives.

The law was outlined by former President Corazon C. Aquino through Presidential Proclamation 131 and Executive Order 229 on June 22, 1987. The law was finally enacted by the 8th Congress of the Philippines and signed by Aquino on June 10, 1988.

Presidential Decree 27

In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos, issued a second presidential order after the Martial Law, stating that the Philippines is a land reform nation. A month later, he issued Presidential Decree No. 27 which detailed the first comprehensive agrarian reform order that was attempted in the country. According to the law, an individual cannot own more than seven hectares of land. If this may happen, the remaining area will be parceled out and will be divided into individual tenants. Such tenant may enjoy a maximum of three hectares of irrigated land, or five hectares of unused land, where the new owners will pay royalty taxes and the computable amount of land to the original landholders for a maximum of fifteen years. If, however, there are sharecroppers sharing lands with less than seven hectares of land area, the land will be converted to leaseholders with fixed rents. Only rice and corn fields were included to the PD 27.