PRELIM EXAMINATION: Big History 2 Case Analysis

Big History 2
PRELIM EXAMINATION: Big History 2 Case Analysis

Agriculture and Globalization: An Analysis of the Filipino Life
AGRARIAN REFORM AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

By: Prof. Randy David (December 20, 2008)
To equate agrarian reform with social justice in our society is to think of land distribution as the
necessary starting point of the Filipino’s quest to live in freedom. This is correct only insofar as
agriculture remains the basic source of livelihood of the masses of our people. But changes in us
social landscape in the last two decades have created a reality we cannot ignore – namely, that
less and less Filipinos continue to regard agriculture as a sustainable way of life. A confluence
of factors has led to this, not the least of which is the willful sabotage of the spirit of all past
agrarian reform programs.
All over the country, small farmers are selling or pawning what little land they have, bending
whatever legal restrictions may stand in their way, in order to raise money needed to feed their
families, fund the education of their children, or pay for the enlistment of a member of
the family for work abroad. Living off the land has become an anachronism. Farming is no
longer a way of creating wealth by combining one’s labor with nature’s gifts. It has become,
instead, no more than an act of conversion – one borrows money to buy expensive
commercial seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs in order to make the land productive,
and then sells the harvest in order to recover the cash needed to repay the debt. Too often, the
farmer ends up with less money than before, as he soon finds that his produce cannot compete
with lower-priced imports.
This is the fate that awaits every land reform beneficiary unless the government intervenes. For
land reform is not just land distribution. It is a promise to free the tiller from economic
dependence and debt by providing him and his family the assistance they need to make the
land viable as a source of livelihood. The government cannot leave them alone after awarding
them the titles to the land. To do so is virtually to force them to sell back the land.
Clearly, a commitment to agrarian reform cannot be separated from a commitment to
agricultural development. While it is conceivable to pursue agricultural modernization without
land reform, land reform itself is pointless as a strategy of social justice without a clear vision for
agricultural development. Over the years, the Philippine government has made it difficult
for small farmers to survive because of its neglect of agriculture. It can be argued that perhaps
more than the loopholes inserted by our legislators in the agrarian reform law, it is the
degradation of the role of agriculture in the national economy that has killed the Filipino
farmer.
Instead of building agriculture as a stepping stone to industrial development, successive
administrations ensured its collapse by opening the country’s floodgates to agricultural imports.
Big History 2
In an earlier time, this, coupled with the decline in budget support for agriculture, would have
sparked a conflagration in the countryside. But the opening of labor markets abroad in the mid-
seventies provided an escape valve for the pressure that was building up in the rural areas.
Overseas contract work became a new factor in the social equation. One of its consequences
was precisely to erase the urgency of agrarian reform.
Money from overseas work has brought every corner of our society into the circuit of the
market economy. This development transforms land into a mere commodity, to be bought
and sold according to the rules of the market. It releases land ownership from the social
and cultural meanings in which it is embedded. The culmination of this trend is the total
subjection of land to the rules of the open market. It is thus not a mere coincidence that
even as Congress is administering the burial rites for a failed land reform program, it is also
preparing to remove, by constitutional revision, the last stumbling block to the full
commodification of land – the constitutional restriction on land ownership by foreigners.
We are obviously in the throes of a difficult and painful transition. What has happened to land is
also happening to labor. If profit from land ownership is now fully divorced from its obligations
to the community and society, so also is the employment of labor now separated from the life
and growth of the family, and indeed, of the nation, from which it is sprung. That is why the
cost to the Filipino nation of the billion dollars per month in remittances entering the economy
has been the destruction of family life and the subjection of many Filipino migrant workers to
regimes of virtual slavery abroad.
But, what can we do? As Karl Polanyi, who documented the great transformation of European
society under the impact of an overarching market economy, said, “...great as the pending
changes are, the restoration of the past is as impossible as the transference of our troubles to
another planet.” Our problems are indeed more complex today, but they are not beyond
solution. The pursuit of social justice has to go beyond the transfer of land to the landless. It
has to encompass all aspects of the social protection of the poor , the underprivileged,
and, especially, of the young in our society. This brings us back to the fundamental function of
states in the modern world – to protect society against the excesses of unbridled markets.
May the spirit of Christmas inspire us in our quest for a just and free society!
Big History 2
Agriculture and Name: Cook, Richard A.

Globalization: Course: BS Nursing| 4FYE2 | Big History 2
An Analysis of the Year & Section: 1st Year | NU-102
Filipino Life Schedule: MWF: 12:25 – 1:25 PM
Give your reflection
on the following:
1. “Less and less Every succeeding generation in our society has already evolved so much
Filipinos continue to that even their priorities in life become different. Our generation in
regard agriculture as a particular already does disregard agriculture as a sustainable way of life
sustainable way of as we strive to have a more comfortable life. There is this stigma that
life.” has been established in Filipino mindsets that putting yourself in the
agricultural life will give you an uncomfortable life which is partly true.
Experiencing this kind of life isn’t easy as you need to strive more and
more with the little profits you get from this.
2. “Small farmers are As said above there is a shift in mindsets and priorities in the Filipino
selling or pawning mindsets as time passes by. To the point they even think going abroad
what little land they will give you a more comfortable life rather than pawning yourself in the
have...to pay for the agriculture sector. They do whatever it takes to send off their family
enlistment of a members abroad as the currency has a big gap on what you get here
member of the family locally. This is somehow understandable if you were to balance off what
for work abroad.” you give and what you get. Even our agricultural workers tend to
already think this in order to get something worth what they had
initially given off with their capitals.
Give one (1) One important contribution of Agriculture to the Philippines is also
important connectivity globally. We can trade off our products to different parts of
contribution of the world with our own products grown locally. Not just exporting we
Agriculture to: also tend to experience global connectivity with our imports. We
a. the global acquire products grown internationally for us to have options. There
connectivity also is a downside to this as for the growing competition to our locally
of the Philippines grown-products, but still there is connectivity
Historically, Agriculture has been a key staple in the Filipino lives. They
provide our basic commodities that our fellow Filipinos need. They not
b. the impact to only provide but also influence how they live their life based on the
Filipinos’ quality of products they get. First is, by supporting locally-grown
quality of life products that also enhances GDP growth and help countrymen improve
their lives through continued support. Agriculture sometimes has an
impact on the lives of the people who definitely have a passion in this
field.
Big History 2
As said, Agriculture is the enactment of taking nature’s gift into

c. the ability to sustain advantage to also help the people in the nation. It also promotes
natural and human human resources as this sector gives jobs. You can start off in the
resources agriculture sector by just starting off to gain capital and owning your
land & having the drive to do so. But there is also a responsibility for us
to be sustainable. As we should carefully use these resources in order
for us to prosper alongside.
How can the Angelite We can use the Angelite core value of being competent by promoting
core value of our own agriculture and supporting locally-produced products. As a
COMPETENCE be community, we must speak up and fight for our farmers. Demolish the
reflected in this unjust system while fostering communion and unity. Improve economic
scenario? efficiency and environmental responsibility. With that, we might achieve
excellence and provide commendation, fair compensation, and
protection to our countrymen.
My primary commitment that I can be proud of is to support our own.

Supporting internationally-grown products yes, it does provide quality
but there is something more in supporting locally-grown ones. I tend to
My Commitment: support the local more as I am completely aware my simple support
also changes their lives. As I also influence other people to support the
products the Philippines produces. Which I think was my greatest
commitment to not just help our Agriculturists but also the entire
nation as a whole.
Signature/
Affirmation: Richard A. Cook

PRELIM EXAMINATION: Big History 2 Case Analysis

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Big History 2

PRELIM EXAMINATION: Big History 2 Case Analysis

AGRARIAN REFORM AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

Agriculture and Name: Cook, Richard A.

As said, Agriculture is the enactment of taking nature’s gift into

My primary commitment that I can be proud of is to support our own.

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