In the Philippines, rice farming is a vital part of the economy, but the majority of farmers are landless. Over 2.4 million Filipinos work the land, yet more than 50% are tenants, relying on a share tenancy system where they till land they don’t own in exchange for a portion of the harvest. According to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), 30% of rice farmers were tenants as of 2016, a statistic that underscores the widespread issue of landlessness in the sector.
The Reality of Share Tenancy: Landless Farmers' Struggle for Survival
Magno Gregorio, a 63-year-old rice farmer from Isabela, is one of many tenants in the Philippines. He tills five hectares of land, but for his labor, he only receives 12% of the total harvest. On a hectare that yields 100 cavans (about 5,000 kilograms) of palay, Gregorio keeps just 12 cavans, or 600 kilograms. At current market rates, this equals P59,640. While this amount may seem significant, it only covers the costs for about four months, leaving Gregorio with a daily income of less than P500 to support his family. This is the reality for many rice farmers who work hard but barely earn enough to escape poverty.
A Brief Taste of Ownership: The Sagibu Harvest
Despite this hardship, some tenant farmers experience rare moments that give them a taste of what it might be like to own land. This is the sagibu, or second harvest, which occurs when rice stalks regrow after the main harvest. Unlike the primary harvest, the tenant keeps the entire yield from the sagibu, as the landowner has no claim to it. For farmers like Gregorio, this small second harvest—often yielding five to six cavans—provides a brief but precious respite. It is "all ours," Gregorio says, a fleeting moment of self-reliance in a system that typically leaves tenants dependent on landowners.
Economic Pressures: Low Prices, High Costs, and the Impact of Imports
However, the economic challenges remain. The price of palay has dropped significantly, partly due to the influx of cheaper imported rice after the passage of the Rice Tariffication Act in 2019. With local farmgate prices sometimes as low as P15 per kilogram, many farmers face financial hardship. Low prices, high production costs, and the threat of imported rice flooding the market make it difficult for Filipino rice farmers to sustain a decent living. Until there are significant reforms in land distribution and pricing, the dream of true land ownership will remain out of reach for many farmers.
