The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will present its major agrarian reform accomplishments and proposed investment-oriented reforms at the high-level dialogue “Big Bold Reforms: The Philippines 2026” on 16 January 2026, at Shangri-La The Fort.

DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III is set to outline how the department’s land reform initiatives continue to benefit Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) while supporting food security and inclusive rural growth.

The forum is jointly organized by the Department of Finance and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and will bring together Cabinet officials, agency heads, and business leaders to discuss economic priorities, policy directions, and investor confidence.

Estrella will anchor his presentation on the DAR’s performance from July 2022 to December 2025, during which the department distributed 394,147 land titles covering 532,514 hectares, benefiting 362,715 ARBs nationwide. Securing land ownership, the DAR said, enables beneficiaries to gain better access to credit, government services, and agribusiness partnerships.

To further support rural productivity, the department completed 213 irrigation projects, built 344 farm-to-market roads, and delivered 7,583 farm machines, equipment, and support facilities. These interventions helped reduce post-harvest losses, improve farm efficiency, and strengthen ARBs’ participation in agricultural value chains.

The DAR will also present its 2026 reform agenda, which aims to make agriculture more investment-ready while safeguarding farmers’ rights. Among the priorities are easing business processes, promoting land consolidation arrangements that benefit ARBs, and ensuring policy stability to attract sustainable domestic and foreign investments.

A key issue to be discussed is the five-hectare landholding limit under Republic Act No. 6657. Estrella is expected to assure stakeholders that the DAR, in coordination with the Department of Justice and the Land Registration Authority, is working to resolve legal and registration concerns related to land consolidation.

Recognizing the need for legislative action, the DAR said it will engage legal experts, lawmakers, and key stakeholders in 2026 to pursue reforms on the landholding limit, aiming to balance agrarian equity, farmer empowerment, and sustainable investment growth.