As a movement, it was initiated by upper and middle class group of individuals based on the experiences gained from the rural reconstruction and development done in China during the beginning of the 1900s.
It was the inspiration for the founding of the Federation of Free Farmers in 1953, as well as the birthing of organizations similar to PRRM in other countries such as Thailand, Colombia, India, and Guatemala.
[3] Apart from Conrado Benitez, original members of PRRM's Board of Trustees also included Salvador Araneta, Cornelio Balmaceda, Cecilio Putong, Juan Salcedo, Jr., Asuncion A. Perez, Gil Puyat, Paul R. Parrette, Manuel P. Manahan, and Albino Z. Sycip.
Apart from Benitez, Sycip, Putong and Salcedo, Jr., PRRM's original incorporators also included Esteban E. Abada, Eulogio Rodriguez, Jr., Roland Renne, Juan Cojuangco, Oscar B. Arellano, and Jose S.
[2] A core objective of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement is to build up the Conrado Benitez Institute for Sustainability (CBIS), which functions as the educational, research and technical troubleshooting wing of the PRRM.