‘SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
‘Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr. é

House Bill no 815

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The coconut industry is a top dollar eamer chalking $900 million to about $1 billion,
and a potential annual eamer of $2 billion if rehabilitated. As a dollar eamer, the coconut and
all its by-products surpass other export products, as it requires no import casts. In fact, the
Philippines is one of the world’s biggest exporters of coconut oil, which is either used for
food or other industries.

Unfortunately, unstable trends in production and world market prices lead observers
to view the industry as a sunset industry, which will eventually die and stop bringing income
to those who depend on it for a living. The number one problem is the dwindling supply of
coconut. Coconut trees are cut down for lumber, while some cocolands are being converted
to avoid the operation of land reform. Thus, the marginal coconut farmer is now in quandary.
Most of them are seriously thinking of selling their cocolands, or of converting it, and leaving
coconut farming in favor of promising opportunities in other areas of endeavor. Hence, it is
incumbent upon Congress to address these conditions afflicting the coconut industry, which
‘comprises a substantial sector of Philippine agriculture and a major source of our export
eamings.

This bill seeks, therefore, to alleviate the present condition of the coconut industry
and ensure its continuity and substantially by classifying it as last priority for coverage in the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of the govemment so as not to discourage
coconut farmers in investing further in coconut farming. This measure also provides for a
stricter or higher penalty for violations of the prohibited acts and omission under Republic
‘Act No. 6657.

Early approval of this bill is eamestly requested.

MAXIMO B/RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
‘Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 6815

AN ACT
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER SIX THOUSAND SIX
HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN (R.A. 6657), AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW OF 1998”, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 7 of Republic Act Numbered Six Thousand Six Hundred Fifty Seven
(R.A. 6657), as amended, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of
1998" is hereby amended to read as follows:

‘Section 7. Priority. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in coordination
with the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) shall plan and program the
acquisition and distribution of all agricultural lands through a period of ten (10) years
from effectivity of this Act. Lands shall be acquired and distributed as follows:

Phase One: Rice and com lands under Presidential Decree No. 27; All idle or
abandoned lands; all private lands voluntarily offered by the owners for agrarian
reform; all lands foreclosed by government financial institutions; all lands acquired by
the Presidential Commission on Good Govemment (PCGG); and all other lands
‘owned by the goverment devoted to or suitable for agriculture, which shall be
acquired and distributed immediately upon the effectivity of this Act, with the
implementation to be completed within the period of not more than four (4) years.

Phase Two: all alienable and disposable public agriculture lands; all arable
public agricultural lands under agro-forest, pasture and agricultural leases already
cultivated and planted to crop in accordance with Section, Article XIII of the
Constitution; all public agricultural lands which are to be opened for new
development and resettlement; and all private agricultural lands in excess of fifty (50)
hectares, insofar as the excess hectarage is concerned, to implement principally the
rights of farmers and regular farm workers, who are landless, to own directly or
collectively the lands they till, which shall be distributed immediately upon the
effectivity of this Act, with the implementation to be completed within a period of not
more than four (4) years.

Phase Three: all other privated agricultural lands with large landholdings and
proceeding to medium and small under the following schedule:

(a) Landholdings above twenty-four (24) hectares up to fifty (50) hectares, to begin
on the fourth (4") year from the effectivity of this Act to be completed within three
(8) years; and

(b) Landholdings from the retention limit up to twenty four (24) hectares, to begin on
the sixth (6") year form the effectivity of this Act and to be completed within four
(4) years; to implement principally the right of farmers and regular farmworkers
who are landless, to own directly or collectively the lands they till.


The schedule of acquisition and redistribution of all agricultural lands covered by
this program shall be made in accordance with the above order of priority, which shall be
provided in the implementing rules to be prepared by the Presidential Agrarian Reform
Council (PARC), taking into consideration the following: The need to enhance
agricultural productivity; and the availability of funds and resources to implement and
support the program; PROVIDED, ALL LANDS DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO COCONUT
FARMING SHALL BE GIVEN LAST PRIORITY IN THE SCHEDULE OF ACQUISITION
AND REDISTRIBUTION WHETHER THE SAME BE PUBLIC OR PRIVATED,
TENANTED OR UNTENANTED.

In any case, the PARC, upon recommendation by the Provincial Agrarian Reform
Coordination Committee (PARCCOM), may declare certain provinces or regions as
priority land reform areas, in which cases the acquisition and distribution of private
agricultural lands therein may be implemented ahead of the above schedules.

In effecting the transfer within these guidelines, priority must be given to lands
that are tenanted.

The PARC shall establish guidelines to implement the above priorities and
distribution scheme, including the determination of who are qualified beneficiaries:
Provided that, an owner-tiller may be a beneficiary of the land he does not own but is
actually cultivating to the extent of the difference between the area of the land he owns
and the award ceiling of three (3) hectares.

SEC 2. Section 74 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 74. Penalties. Any person who knowingly or willfully violates the provisions
of this Act shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than [one (1) month not more that
three (3) or a fine of not less than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) and not more than fifteen
thousand pesos (15,000.00),] SIX (6) MONTHS TO NOT MORE THAN FOUR (4) YEARS
OR A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND.

‘SEC 3. Separability clause. If any provision of this Act shall be held to be unconstitutional,
the remainder of the Act not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC 4. Repealing clause. All laws, orders, rules and regulations, parts thereof, inconsistent
with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC 5. Effectivity clause. This Act shall take effect 30 days after its complete publication in
two (2) national newspapers of general circulation or in the Official gazette.

Approved,