NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
s. No. 1804
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‘©ffitp of Mir t rtaip
23 JAN 30 P5«l
RECEIVED BY.
Introduced by SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CONDONATION OF ALL UNPAID PRINCIPAL 
INTERESTS, PENALTIES, OR SURCHARGES ON LOANS SECURED BY 
AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE 
AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, is credited for stating: 
"Most things, except agriculture, can wait." Agriculture is urgent. It cannot wait. Its 
urgency, however, is something that is often taken for granted. We are now seeing 
the rise of generations that refuse to be farmers, that think farming is work that is 
poorly paid and meant only for the unskilled.1 This gives us a picture of the value (or 
lack thereof) that our society gives to agriculture, thereby effectively forgetting that 
it is one that cannot wait.
Proof of our forgetting is the fact that our farmers have remained poor. 
According to data from 2018 of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the poverty 
incidence of farmers was at 31.6% while for fisherfolk it was at 26.2%2. Adding to 
our farmers' financial burden is the provision under Section 26 of Republic Act No. 
6657, or the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988." Although R.A. 6657 is 
well-intentioned, the implementation of the said section, among others, is
1 Amy Booth, "Follow the food: the reason we're running out of farmers." Retrieved from: 
https://www.bbc.com/future/besDoke/follow-the-food/the-reason-we-are-runninR-out-of-farmers/, retrieved
on January 24, 2022.
2 "InfoBits on poverty incidence of farmers and fisherfolk in PH," retrieved from: 
https://www.pids.Rov.ph/details/resource/infoRraphics-infobits/infobits-on-povertv-incidence-of-farmers-
and-fisherfolk-in-ph. retrieved on January 24 2022.


problematic. Under Section 26, the lands that are awarded to the Agrarian Reform 
Beneficiaries (ARBs) shall be paid for by the ARBs to the Landbank of the Philippines 
(LBP) in thirty (30) annual amortizations at an interest rate of six percent 6% per 
annum. A financial obligation which seems onerous and too much for our farmers. 
The pandemic has not made things any easier. In the midst of the rising prices of 
commodities, of the adverse effects of climate change, we continue to demand that 
our farmers strictly pay for the land they till hardworkingly, seeming to conveniently 
forget our urgent need for sustainable agriculture.
One by one, the reminders of agriculture's urgency catch up to us. As our 
farmers remain to be poor, we are also feeling the consequences of their poverty. 
The Philippines today is hardly food-secure, which means we have a long way to go 
in taking care of our farmers and the entire agricultural industry.
Agriculture cannot and must not be made to wait. One surefire way of doing 
this is to condone all unpaid principal, interests, penalties, or surcharges on loans of 
ARBs under CARP. With this, we shall be removing from our farmers' shoulders the 
burden of having to pay off lands awarded to them. At the same time, we are 
helping to ensure that the objective of the CARP is truly achieved - reform in the 
agrarian sector by addressing rural poverty and securing its development.
Most things, except agriculture, can wait. And because agriculture cannot 
wait, I seek the swift passage of this bill into law.
RONALD 
ROSA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
s. No. 1304
Senate
of ti)? ftnrp
23 JAN 30 P5 -01
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CONDONATION OF ALL UNPAID PRINCIPAL 
INTERESTS, PENALTIES, OR SURCHARGES ON LOANS SECURED BY 
AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE 
AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Condonation of Unpaid Amortizations, Interest Payments, 
Penalties, or Surcharges. - All unpaid principal and interests, including penalties or 
surcharges, if any, due from loans used for land acquisition secured under the 
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program are hereby condoned by the Government 
to relieve all agrarian reform beneficiaries from the payment thereof: Provided, 
That the condonation of such unpaid principal, interests, penalties, or surcharges 
shall be in conformity with the applicable banking laws and regulations of the 
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): Provided, further. That the condonation of all 
unpaid principal, interests, penalties, or surcharges shall release all attached liens 
and encumbrances arising from the loans secured for land acquisition: Provided, 
finally. That upon the effectivity of this Act, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) 
shall issue the certification necessary to facilitate the issuance of a certificate of 
land title ownership in favor of the agrarian reform beneficiary concerned.


Sec. 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Agrarian Reform, in coordination with the 
Philippine Agrarian Reform Council, the Department of Finance, and the LBP, and upon 
consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. - Section 26 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended, 
otherwise known as the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988," is hereby 
repealed. All other laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof 
inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or 
modified accordingly.
Sec. 4. Effectivity. - 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.
Approved,