Land reform

As far as I can remember, the re-distribution of a land has been an on-going program of government. Indeed, the distribution of one factor of production to those in need is focused on promoting social justice. The effort to distribute land does have a downside, especially when productivity or the creation of value is adversely affected as explained by economies of scale. Productive agricultural fields have been transformed into small farms whose collective production is still to see previous productivity levels. The cost of loss of productivity is also related to being an investment in providing opportunities for land reform beneficiaries to improve their economic wellness.

The second Aquino administration has the opportunity to follow through on the promise of achieving more meaningful success in agrarian reform. The objectives of land distribution can be more achievable with the support and cooperation of the landowner. History has its share of conflicts when the land owners’ interests and rights are impaired with just compensation being the avenue of settlement. The agrarian reform program has its share of success and failures and we hope that in the future the benefits will far overwhelmingly justify the cost and expenses.

Beneficiaries of public land distribution have gained access to credit with their land titles being accepted as collateral. Providing capital to rural entrepreneurs through credit is one opportunity that rural-based financial institutions have grasped. However, the extension of credit services does not stop upon the release of the loan rather that is just the beginning from a perspective that a credit agreement brings along a relationship of helping one another. The walk through the lessons of collateral, character, capital, conditions and capacity is always a teaching and learning experience. In the same breath the government promises on a best effort basis to achieve the objectives of land reform, with the same breath should the concerned and willingly private sector do the same.

Let us have an anecdote to pay tribute to a farmer. Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company (responsible for the accident) to court. In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?," questioned the lawyer.

Farmer Joe responded, "Well I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the......." "I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'" Farmer Joe said, "Well I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..." The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told The Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question." By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule Bessie." Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, "Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her. How are you feeling?"

Let us end with a quotation to send us on our way. “Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on. It is not man.“ ~Martin Luther King, Jr.*