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 1199—An 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 3844—An 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 6389—An 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 6657—This 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is mandated to determine and fix immediately the lease rentals in accordance with Section 34 of RA 3844, but expressly repealed Section 35 of RA 3844.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.
