President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which will free agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from their agrarian debt burden.
*RELIEF PROVIDED — President Marcos signs the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which frees agrarian reform beneficiaries from their debt, in Malacañang on July 7, 2023. (RTVM Screenshots)*

The new law is a priority legislation of the Marcos administration, even asking Congress to pass such a measure in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2022. In his speech during the ceremonial signing of RA 11953, President Marcos said he was glad to sign the law as it would free farmers from debt. However, he said that genuine emancipation required more than just the distribution of land and that handing titles to ARBs was just the first step in achieving more sustainable farms and higher income for Filipino farmers. "Free land distribution must go hand-in-hand with broadening the provision of credit facilities and support services in the form of farm inputs, equipment, and facilities to our farmers, as well as the construction of more farm-to-market roads," Marcos said. "I assure you that we will never stop providing our farmers with the support that they need to help make their farms more productive while also improving their lives and that of their families," he added. The new law condones all the unpaid amortizations of the principal debt, including any interest and surcharges incurred by the ARBs. According to the President, P57.56 billion of unpaid principal debt will be condoned to benefit 610,054 ARBs tilling 1.173 million hectares of land. In addition, the government will assume the obligation of 10,201 ARBs tilling 11,531.24 hectares of land to pay the remaining balance of the direct compensation due the concerned landowners under the Voluntary Land Transfer (VLT) or the Direct Payment Scheme (DPS) amounting to P206,204,776.41.

Addressing farmers' concerns

Meanwhile, President Marcos vowed to address the concern of farmers and agrarian emancipation as a tangible reality for the country's hardworking farmers. He urged the government to expedite the individual titling of lands covered by collective CLOAs to secure the agrarian rights of the farmers and vowed to enhance the efficiency of agrarian case resolution systems for faster outcomes. Marcos said the government would continue attracting and training new generations of young farmers to revitalize and make the agricultural sector modernized and profitable. "It is time to give our farmers the recognition that they deserve as the providers of our nation's sustenance, the providers of life to all of Filipinos," he said. "Tutulungan at susuportahan namin kayo sa inyong bawat hakbang para kayo ay umunlad, magtagumpay, at makatulong sa pagbibigay ng sapat at masustansyang pagkain sa ating mamamayan (We will help and support you in every step of the way so you can prosper and succeed, and help provide sufficient and nutritious food to our people)," he added.