Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Agrarian Reform Land Classification and Just Compensation for Expropriated Lands
Supreme Court clarifies when sloping lands are exempt from CARP coverage and how courts compute just compensation for expropriated properties.
Agrarian Reform Exclusion: Land Must Be Used Exclusively for Livestock Raising
The Supreme Court clarifies when lands may be excluded from CARP coverage for livestock raising and why good faith matters.
Exemption From Agrarian Reform: Land Reclassification and Its Impact on Property Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when land reclassified as non-agricultural before 1988 is exempt from CARP coverage, protecting property rights.
Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform Exemptions: A Guide for Property Owners and Farmers
Explaining when land reclassified before June 15, 1988 is exempt from CARP coverage, based on a 2021 Supreme Court ruling.
Land Reclassification and Zoning Ordinances Prevail Over CARP Coverage
When a local government reclassifies land as non-agricultural before June 15, 1988, and the HLURB ratifies it, the property may be exempt from agrarian reform coverage.
Navigating Land Acquisition Under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program: Understanding Jurisdictional Limi
A landowner's challenge to CARP coverage and valuation fails because he used the wrong remedy, missing the deadline to file with the Special Agrarian Court.
Land Use Reclassification vs. Agrarian Reform: When LGU Zoning Does Not Remove CARP Coverage
The Supreme Court clarifies that LGU land use reclassification alone does not exempt agricultural land from CARP coverage—DAR conversion is still required.
Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform: Balancing Local Zoning With Farmer Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when local zoning reclassification removes land from CARP coverage, protecting farmer-beneficiary rights.
Agrarian Reform Reclassification As Farmlot Subdivision Does NOT Exempt Land From CARP Coverage
Supreme Court rules that reclassifying agricultural land as a farmlot subdivision before CARP does not exempt it from agrarian reform coverage.
Land Reclassification as Municipal Park Prevails Over CARP Coverage
Supreme Court rules land zoned as municipal park before CARP is outside agrarian reform coverage, even if later claimed for distribution.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Annulment of Land Sales Under CARP Coverage
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over annulment of deeds of sale for agricultural lands covered by CARP, even without notice of coverage.
When Agrarian Reform and Townsite Reservations Collide: Navigating Land Use Conflicts
The Supreme Court clarifies when lands in townsite reservations fall outside CARP coverage and the DARAB's jurisdiction.
Homestead Rights vs Agrarian Reform: Continued Cultivation Is Key
Supreme Court clarifies that heirs of homestead grantees must personally cultivate the land to exempt it from CARP coverage under Section 6 of RA 6657.
Land Reclassification and CARP Coverage: Prior Zoning Determines Exemption
When does a zoning ordinance exempt land from agrarian reform? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on land classification and CARP coverage.
Upholding Agrarian Reform Land Use and CARP Exemption Requirements
The Supreme Court clarifies when agricultural lands can be exempt from CARP coverage, emphasizing exclusive livestock use as of June 15, 1988.
Exemption From CARP Coverage: Proving Exclusive Livestock Use Under RA 6657
The Supreme Court clarifies when agricultural lands may be exempt from agrarian reform coverage for livestock raising under RA 6657.
Exemption from CARP Coverage: Proof of Exclusive Livestock Use Required
A landowner claiming exemption from agrarian reform must prove exclusive livestock use as of June 15, 1988. The Supreme Court clarifies the evidentiary standard in DAR v. BATCO.
Zoning Laws and Agrarian Reform: When Local Ordinances Conflict With National Land Policy
When local zoning reclassifies agricultural land, approval by the HLURB is required—otherwise, CARP coverage still applies.
Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform: Prior Local Government Authority Prevails
Local government reclassification of land before June 15, 1988 can exempt property from CARP coverage, as the Supreme Court clarified in Heirs of Luna v. Afable.
CARP Exemption: Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when land reclassification can exempt property from CARP coverage, and the limits of that exemption.
CARP Coverage and Due Process: A.Z. Arnaiz Realty Ruling on Land Exclusion
The Supreme Court clarifies due process in agrarian reform and the standards for excluding cattle ranches from CARP coverage.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Land Sale Disputes Involving CARP-Covered Agricultural Lands
The Supreme Court clarifies when DARAB, not regular courts, has jurisdiction over disputes involving sales of agricultural lands under CARP coverage.
CARP Land Use Classification and Exemption Requirements Explained
Learn when land is exempt from CARP coverage based on use classification before June 15, 1988, and why "reserved for residential" is not enough.
CARP Coverage and Landowner Rights in Reclassified Areas: DAR v. Berenguer
Land inside a poblacion is presumed non-agricultural and outside CARP coverage, the Supreme Court ruled in DAR v. Berenguer.