Primer: AGRICULTURAL LEASEHOLD SYSTEM (Philippines)

I. LAWS AND ISSUANCES ON LEASEHOLD

Q1: What are the laws governing the leasehold relations between the landholders
and lessees?

1. RA 1199An Act to Govern the Relations between Landholders and Tenants of

Agricultural Lands (Leasehold and Share Tenancy, 30 August 1954). It is also
known as the Agricultural Tenancy Act of the Philippines. Under this law, the
tenant has the option to elect either share tenancy or leasehold tenancy
arrangement.

2. RA 3844An Act to Ordain the Agricultural Land Reform Code Instituting Land
Reforms in the Philippines, including the Abolition of Tenancy and the Channeling
of Capital into Industry, and for Other Purposes, (8 August 1963). It is also known
as the Agricultural Land Reform Code. This law declared agricultural share
tenancy to be contrary to public policy and was, thereby, abolished.

3. RA 6389An Act Amending Republic Act No. 3844, as amended, otherwise

known as the Agricultural Land Reform Code, and for Other Purpose, (10
September 1971). It is also known as Code of Agrarian Reforms of the
Philippines. This law provides the automatic conversion of agricultural share
tenancy to agricultural leasehold tenancy

4. RA 6657This Act shall be known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of

1988. Under this Law, the DAR is mandated to determine and fix immediately the
lease rentals in accordance with Section 34 of RA 3844, but expressly repealed
Section 35 of RA 3844. This therefore, abolished the exemptions and made all
tenanted agricultural lands subject to leasehold.