Rafael V. Mariano

Mariano joined the Bisig ng Kabataan (Youth Arm), a local youth activist organization, when he was 20 years old. He was elected as councilor of Quezon, Nueva Ecija five years later in 1981. He became the regional vice chairman of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (Central Luzon Farmers' Alliance) in 1984 and as the first secretary-general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines; KMP) in 1985. He was among the survivors of the 1987 Mendiola massacre.^[4] Mariano was later elected as its national vice chairman in 1990, effectively serving as acting chairman while Chairman Jaime Tadeo was in prison.^[5]

In July 1993, a month before Tadeo was released on parole, Mariano accused Tadeo of committing estafa as chairman of the KMP, which caused the organization to fracture into two factions between followers of Tadeo and Mariano. Three months later, Tadeo was impeached as chairman, and by November 1993, Mariano was elected national chairman of the KMP, a position he held into the 2010s.^[6][7]

In 1998, he assumed the chairmanship of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. He was nominated to the Anakpawis party-list in the 2004 general elections and served as the party's representative in the Philippine House of Representatives until 2013. During his term, he pressed for the passage of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill which aimed to distribute land to farmers for free. He was one of five progressive legislators who were detained for 2 months in 2006 in the Batasang Pambansa Complex on charges of plotting to overthrow the government of then President Gloria Arroyo.^[4]

Following his victory in the 2016 elections, President Rodrigo Duterte offered cabinet positions to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.^[8] The NDFP declined the offer and instead nominated who they felt were qualified candidates. The NDFP nominated Mariano for the position of Secretary of Agrarian Reform^[9] which Duterte accepted at the start of his term.

Mariano served as DAR Secretary from July 2016 to September 2017. As DAR Secretary, Mariano spearheaded initiatives for land distribution and supported calls for genuine agrarian reform, including land distribution in Hacienda Luisita.^[10][11]

He was removed following the rejection of his interim appointment by the Commission on Appointments.^[12] Malacanang was said to "regret" the CA's decision to reject Mariano's appointment.^[13]

Mariano remained a major figure in the struggle of Philippine peasants for genuine land reform. He became the chairperson emeritus of KMP and a staunch critic of both the Duterte and Marcos Jr. administrations.

• Rafael Mariano at the House of Representatives
• Anakpawis