The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program After 20 Years: Focus on Land Tenure Improvement

Under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), a nation is envisioned to have equitable land ownership and empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries, who are effectively managing their economic and social development. Fundamentally, the vision to promote an equitable society and a progressive countryside was through land tenure improvement and provision of integrated development services to landless farmers, farm workers and small landowner-cultivators. In more specific terms, land tenure improvement (LTI) involves two categories: the first category involves land acquisition and distribution (LAD); and the second category involves non-land acquisition, which covers the institution of leasehold and stock option. The coverage of lands under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is part of the non-LAD mode because awardees are simply given stewardship contracts...