WHY is there no groundswell of support for these farmers? Did they really have a right to the land they are claiming or are they squatters who claim they are of indigenous ancestry and are entitled to the land?
Regardless of the nature of the claim the President should settle this now, give the peasants or pawns cash compensation from Pagcor [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) or the PCSO [Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office] just like she does the bishops, the knights, and the rooks.
This is a monumental game of chess and right now it is a stalemate, but the positions could change any minute and the game will be over.
– Alfonso DeMayo, Vancouver, Canada (via e-mail)
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March 26th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
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Allan Says:
March 19th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Gloria Kawatan how about Cory Aquino’s Hacienda Luisita. Where farmers not only die from hunger but also from guns. These Hacienda Luisita farmers cant walk “million million” miles to demand the rights fort their lands, they are getting shot before they could even reach Hacienda Luisita’s gate. You should have another alias, aside from “Gloria Kawatan” try also “Cory Kriminal”
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Allen: First of all Hacienda Luisita belong to cory family, They own the land. The government order them to give part of their land to farmer’s which is they don’t want to give out. For example you work all week on payday you won’t be receiving your whole paycheck because your boss already give out your part of your paycheck to other people. Iyan ang example diyan. Kaya ayaw ni cory ng ibigay ang lupa nila sa mga farmer’s.
In visaya where Mike Arroyo, Live the have the same problem Mike Arroyo, Family don’t want to give out part of their land to farmer’s either. So is most of land owner. In fact these farmer’s also die waiting for the land the government promise.
The biggest problem with that is the government create this land reform give order to big land owner to give part of their land to farmer’s. But not all land owner want to give out piece of their land. Thats why there is lots of people getting kill because of this land reform.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
It’s so sad to hear Ex Pres. Cory Aquino ay may colon cancer but it’s good for the nation though, NABAWASAN NG ISANG MAINGAY SA LIPUNAN. Si ERAP kaya kaylan mananahimik??? He should be behind bars for the rest of his life or firing squad if enforcing the law. They’d been given all the chances in their terms but KAPALPAKAN din ang ginawa.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:52 am
This is just a case of pride. Farmers claiming lands from their landlords awarded to them by virtue of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The current shortage in the supply of rice in the country and the impending shortage of corn in Cebu are some of the impact of this land distribution program of the government during the time of Cory up to the present. Large tracts of commercially productive agricultural lands distributed to tenants which are now left unproductive/idle because the tenants could not afford to spend for production inputs to make it productive.
The disputed land is supposed to be developed by SMC as a commercially viable piggery project which could supply meat and probably arrest possible price increases. In exhange is a deal of economic benefits to the claimants but the Sumilao farmers’ position is “NO DEAL!” and thus claim the right over the land. They spend days and nights risking life and limbs just to get hold of this piece of land. But at the end of the day the question would be: Can they make this piece of land as productive as SMC could? Many times, legal claim is not economically viable.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:49 am
alam kong itong aking sasabihin ay malayo sa topin sa blog entry na ito pero nangangailangan ako ng tulong upang mapasisante ang isang guro sa Diliman Preparatory School na nagngangalang DARYLL JOAQUIN siya ay highshool teacher na dating adviser ng III-BALAGTAS. Ginawa niyang girfriend ang isa sa kanyang mga estudyante at nabuntis ito. Pasikretong nilagyan ng pampalaglag ang inumin ng estudyante. Sana ay mabigyan ng parusa ang gurong nasabi. Kung kayo ay nag aalangan sa aking isinalaysay, maari kayong magtanong sa graduating batch (2008.) Maraming Salamat.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Hi Mr. Ilaga,
Thanks for your reaction to my piece on the subject. It was unnecessary to explain to me the background story of the Sumilao farmers because I’m also familiar with it but of course you did not know that, nonetheless it was good you wrote about it so that readers will have a better understanding of the issues and appreciate the hardships of the marginalized farmers.
For reasons of brevity I simply touched very briefly on the early beginnings of the issue because I cannot spare that much time you spent in relating the story in its entirety. My brief reply to the writer from Canada was focused on the current issues revolving on GMA’s efforts to restore ownership of the land to the farmers.
I’m just happy that as we speak SMC and the farmers have reached a compromise settlement as both sides took a step back to reach a practical solution and listened to reason and wise counsel of Cardinal Rosales. This is a feat I never thought would be achieved because the parties are like a stubborn irresistible force, like the farmers are, meeting an immovable object, that SMC is. The Cardinal must have used the power of the Holy Spirit to make things happen.