THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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S E  
T 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmeiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
R. A. 6657 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law 
sought to redistribute ownership of agricultural lands, and free the Filipino farmer from 
the bondage of poverty and deprivation. 
Voluntary land transfers as provided in Section 20 of the CARL encourages 
both land-owner and farmer-beneficiary to enter directly into a contract for the sale 
and transfer of agricultural land in order to facilitate the implementation of the law. In 
reality however, this process has been mired in tedious procedures entailing a multi- 
layered bureaucratic system of review and approval. 
This bill seeks to address the situation by simplifying the procedure, and 
minimizing bureaucratic red tape. As proposed, land-owner and farmer-beneficiary 
may freely set the terms of such transfer, provided that those terms are not less 
favorable than those imposed by R.A. 6657. Hence, the land transfer may take effect 
when the farmer-beneficiary signifies his agreement to the amount and terms of 
payment. In addition, the bill mandates that the farmer-beneficiary be granted access 
to financial support from the Land Bank of the Philippines for production, technology 
transfer and marketing facilities, up to an amount equal to 85% of the selling price of 
the land acquired under CARL. 
The government’s commitment to social redistributive justice will be measured 
by the effectiveness and efficiency with which the agrarian reform law is implemented 
to deliver a better life for the Filipino farmer. Empowering the farmer also means 
empowering him to negotiate on equal terms with the land-owner to take possession 
of what is hi by virtue of the law. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval o j  this bill is earnestly 
requested . 
SEIRGIO OSMENA 111 
Senator 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. OsmeAa 111 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW LANDOWNERS AND TENANTS 
TO ENTER UNTO VOLUNTARY LAND TRANSFER AND/OR DIRECT PAYMENT 
SCHEME AND AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED 
COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND 
SIXTY-SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
EIGHTY -EIG HT, AM EN DE D 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise known as 
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the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988, as amended, is hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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“Section 20. Voluntary Land Transfer. - Landowners of 
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agricultural lands subject to acquisition under this Act may enter into a 
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voluntary agreement for direct transfer of their lands to qualified 
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beneficiaries subject to the following guidelines: 
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“(a) All notices petitions for voluntary land transfer must be 
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submitted to the DAR within the first year of the implementation of the 
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CARP and should be acted upon within thirty (30) days from receipt 
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thereof. Negotiations between the landowners and qualified beneficiaries 
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covering any voluntary land transfer which remain unresolved after one 
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(1) year from submission of petitions shall not be recognized and such 
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land shall instead be acquired by the government and transferred 
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pursuant to this Act; b) The terms and conditions of such transfer shall 
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not be less favorable to the transferee than those of the government’s 
standing offer to purchase from the landowner and to resell to the 
beneficiaries, if such offers have been made and are fully known to both 
parties; 
(C) THE AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARY AGREES TO THE 
AMOUNT AND THE TERMS OF PAYMENT; 
(0) THE 
DAR SHALL ACT AS 
MEDIATOR 
IN CASES 
OF 
DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THELANDOWNER AND THEFARMER 
AND/OR FARMER BENEFICIARY; 
[c] (E) The voluntary agreement shall include sanctions for non- 
compliance by either party and shall be duly recorded and its 
implementation monitored by the DAR; 
(F) TO ENSURE THE VIABILITY OF THIS SCHEME, THE LAND BANK 
OF THE PHILIPPINES (LBP) SHALL EXTEND TO THE FARMER 
BENEFICIARIES 
FINANCIAL 
SUPPORT 
FOR 
PRODUCTION, 
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND MARKETING FACILITIES AND/OR 
ACTIVITIES; AND 
(G) THE FARMER AND/OR FARMER BENEFICIARY SHALL BE 
ELIGIBLE TO BORROW FROM THE LBP AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 
EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT (85%) OF THESELLING PRICE OF THE LAND 
THAT THEY HAVE ACQUIRED.” 
SEC.2. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or 
parts hereof inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
whichever comes earlier, 
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Approved, 
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