Farmer groups caravan, declare Aquino as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers” Oct 21, 2011

October Peasant Month:

Farmer groups caravan, declare Aquino as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers”

■ Manila: Salubungan ■ Manila: Kampuhan ■ Manila: March and rally in Mendiola

■ Bohol ■ Davao ■ Central Luzon ■ Southern Tagalog ■ Bukidnon ■ Bikol

October 17 to 21, 2011

Photos courtesy of AMGL (Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa gitnang Luson)

Production Work at Paghahanda sa Bungkalan sa Hacienda Luisita, Oktubre 14-15, 2011





x] Farmer groups caravan, declare Aquino as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers” 10/17/2011 Farmers under the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Farmers Alliance in Central Luzon) declared president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers” as they are now facing government programs that result massive land grabbing and displacement of farmers. In protest coinciding the anniversary of the Marcos dictatorship sham land reform program PD 27 on October 21, they kicked off the “Caravan against Land Grabbing and Displacement” as farmers from different provinces are faced with these common problems towards the office of Dept. of Agrarian Reform in Quezon City, Supreme on October 18 and Mendiola on October 19 to 21. The caravan was joined by farmers from Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan and Zambales. “There is no doubt among farmers that Aquino not affected any reforms that uplifted their lives, even during typhoons and disaster, he only visited the typhoon-affected areas when there was already a public pressure for him to do so,” said Joseph Canlas, AMGL chairperson. Canlas said that Aquino’s program towards farmers could be summarized into to three major points, (1) the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with “Reforms” (CARPER), (2) Public-Private Partnership program (PPP) and (3) the continuation of the programs of the much-hated Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government such as the Central Luzon Development Plan (CLDP) that includes the construction of major superhighways and massive land use conversion (LUC) all over the region; and the go-ahead of mining operations that clearly destroy the environment, particularly in the region in Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Aurora and Bulacan. “Every Filipino around the world knows about Hacienda Luisita. The very living example of the Cojuangco-Aquinos decades-long exploitation and oppression of poor farmworkers. Until now, they are attempting to subdue the overwhelming public opinion for the lands to be distributed to the farmworkers. Hacienda Luisita is the very proof that Aquino would not in any way serve the interest of Filipino farmers,” Canlas said. The protest commenced at the intersection near Metrotown Mall in Tarlac City, where farmers showed their rage against a scarecrow-effigy of the president and Uncle Sam representing US imperialism or the puppetry of Aquino to the interest of US and other rich countries. They proceeded towards Brgy. San Miguel in front of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) camp where Hacienda Luisita farmworkers merged with other farmers. They later proceeded to Angeles City, Pampanga and marched towards Plaza Miranda, subsequently towards DAR Region III office in San Fernando City. Farmers from Aurora province under PAMANA - Aurora joined the protest to highlight the programs implemented by Sen. Edgardo Angara in the province such as the Republic Act 10083 or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) and Food Basket program. APECO-affected farmers are now being displaced in Casiguran town as the program includes massive land use conversion such as the construction of commercial and business districts, residential and industrial enclaves, eco-tourism and more. The affected people are mostly farmers, fisherfolk and indigenous people Dumagat who are and becoming victims of land grabbing and displacement as APECO covers about 13,000-hectares of Casiguran and adjacent towns. The Food Basket program are also causing massive land grabbing of 312-hectares and displace in central Aurora where most of the victims are indigenous people Igorot farmers. Farmers under AMGL – Nueva Ecija joined the caravan to protest the systematic land grabbing and displacement in the province through massive cancellation of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) , Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT) and Emancipation Patents (EP) of CARP farmer-beneficiaries. They sampled the case of farmers from Brgy. Manggang Marikit, Bagong Barrio and Yuson in Guimba town where they have tilled more than a hundred hectares of CARP covered but idle lands but the DAR Guimba and Nueva Ecija are trying to eject them. Farmers also condemn the massive ejectment of farmers from their lands in south Nueva Ecija towns where they claim that CARP and CARPER have not protected their rights. Farmers of the 3,100-hectare land in Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation (FMMR) have also protested the the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army’s obstruction of their continued cultivation amidst the Deed of Transfer between the Dept. of National Defense and DAR. Aside from Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac farmers are also condemning the land grabbing measures and harassment of Pancake House bosses Martin Lorenzo and Gabriel Singson, Jr, who also lead St. Tropez Holdings Corp. The St. Tropez firm is claiming ownership of the 154-hectare prime agricultural land at Brgy. Balingcanaway near the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) interchange based on a title that even the DAR Tarlac said that it was illegally obtained as the lands were covered by the agrarian reform program since the Magsaysay government. Farmers from Bayambang town in Pangasinan are also protesting the Cojuangco-Aquino’s land grabbing measures. The Central Azucarera de Tarlac Realty Corp. (CAT Realty) is claiming ownership of the 386.8-hectares of land where farmers have already cultivated since the American colonization. In addition, farmers near the Clark International Airport in Angeles City, Pampanga are condemning the measures of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) of blocking them from tilling their lands. The farmers have tilled the lands since 1981 when the Clark Airbase Command (CABCOM) allowed them to. They were even recognized by the Marcos government when they were covered by the Green Revolution-KKK program and during the Cory Aquino government their cooperative was accredited by the Land Bank who availed them of loans. “Aquino and CARPER are both working against the interest of farmers. Neither have given lands to poor farmers who are not able to keep up with amortization, worse, the program serves as instrument to big landlords and foreign corporations to eject farmers by invoking its anti-farmer provisions. Not contented, Aquino is now pushing the PPP that would surely displace farmers by tens of thousands as it involves large-scale LUC projects such as major highways, mega-dams and industrial-commercial-residential estates,” said Canlas. AMGL is protesting the planned construction of the Balog-balog dam in San Jose town, Tarlac and Balintingon dam in General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija. “Are we stupid enough to allow these dams amidst the effects of Angat and Pantabang dam-Pampanga river to the people of Bulacan and Pampanga this recent typhoon Pedring?” Canlas raised. “There are already San Roque dam in Pangasinan, Pantabangan dam in Nueva Ecija and now the two Aquino PPP-promoted dam. Aquino is planning to kill the people of Central Luzon by drowning,” he added. The group has condemned Aquino’s continuation of Arroyo’s program such as the CLDP, particularly the Metro-Luzon Urban Beltway (MLUB). MLUB is composed by the construction of SCTEX, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), Central Luzon Expressway (CLEX) and North Luzon East Expressway (NLEX East). The TPLEX project has commenced and is now on the process of converting hundreds of hectares of agricultural lands. TPLEX, CLEX and NLEX East project would convert about 1,222-hectares of land in the region. “There are overwhelming reasons why we declare Aquino as ‘enemy of Central Luzon farmers’ but we only have limited opportunity to converse. We suggest that you continue to witness the escalating farmers’ struggle for our rights to land and against the Aquino programs. By covering us continuously, you would definitely understand why we are doing this right now. It is only a matter of time when broad sectors of our society to condemn the Aquino government but it would certainly come. By that time, we would discuss more and reminisce about our journey of fighting for people’s rights to genuine land reform, social justice and democracy,” Canlas said to media. #















			x PRESS RELEASE October 17, 2011 Reference: Joseph Canlas, AMGL Chairperson Farmer groups caravan, declare Aquino as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers” Farmers under the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Farmers Alliance in Central Luzon) declared president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as “enemy of Central Luzon farmers” as they are now facing government programs that result massive land grabbing and displacement of farmers. In protest coinciding the anniversary of the Marcos dictatorship sham land reform program PD 27 on October 21, they kicked off the “Caravan against Land Grabbing and Displacement” as farmers from different provinces are faced with these common problems towards the office of Dept. of Agrarian Reform in Quezon City, Supreme on October 18 and Mendiola on October 19 to 21. The caravan was joined by farmers from Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan and Zambales. “There is no doubt among farmers that Aquino not affected any reforms that uplifted their lives, even during typhoons and disaster, he only visited the typhoon-affected areas when there was already a public pressure for him to do so,” said Joseph Canlas, AMGL chairperson. Canlas said that Aquino’s program towards farmers could be summarized into to three major points, (1) the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with “Reforms” (CARPER), (2) Public-Private Partnership program (PPP) and (3) the continuation of the programs of the much-hated Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government such as the Central Luzon Development Plan (CLDP) that includes the construction of major superhighways and massive land use conversion (LUC) all over the region; and the go-ahead of mining operations that clearly destroy the environment, particularly in the region in Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Aurora and Bulacan. “Every Filipino around the world knows about Hacienda Luisita. The very living example of the Cojuangco-Aquinos decades-long exploitation and oppression of poor farmworkers. Until now, they are attempting to subdue the overwhelming public opinion for the lands to be distributed to the farmworkers. Hacienda Luisita is the very proof that Aquino would not in any way serve the interest of Filipino farmers,” Canlas said. The protest commenced at the intersection near Metrotown Mall in Tarlac City, where farmers showed their rage against a scarecrow-effigy of the president and Uncle Sam representing US imperialism or the puppetry of Aquino to the interest of US and other rich countries. They proceeded towards Brgy. San Miguel in front of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) camp where Hacienda Luisita farmworkers merged with other farmers. They later proceeded to Angeles City, Pampanga and marched towards Plaza Miranda, subsequently towards DAR Region III office in San Fernando City. Farmers from Aurora province under PAMANA - Aurora joined the protest to highlight the programs implemented by Sen. Edgardo Angara in the province such as the Republic Act 10083 or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) and Food Basket program. APECO-affected farmers are now being displaced in Casiguran town as the program includes massive land use conversion such as the construction of commercial and business districts, residential and industrial enclaves, eco-tourism and more. The affected people are mostly farmers, fisherfolk and indigenous people Dumagat who are and becoming victims of land grabbing and displacement as APECO covers about 13,000-hectares of Casiguran and adjacent towns. The Food Basket program are also causing massive land grabbing of 312-hectares and displace in central Aurora where most of the victims are indigenous people Igorot farmers. Farmers under AMGL – Nueva Ecija joined the caravan to protest the systematic land grabbing and displacement in the province through massive cancellation of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) , Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT) and Emancipation Patents (EP) of CARP farmer-beneficiaries. They sampled the case of farmers from Brgy. Manggang Marikit, Bagong Barrio and Yuson in Guimba town where they have tilled more than a hundred hectares of CARP covered but idle lands but the DAR Guimba and Nueva Ecija are trying to eject them. Farmers also condemn the massive ejectment of farmers from their lands in south Nueva Ecija towns where they claim that CARP and CARPER have not protected their rights. Farmers of the 3,100-hectare land in Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation (FMMR) have also protested the the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army’s obstruction of their continued cultivation amidst the Deed of Transfer between the Dept. of National Defense and DAR. Aside from Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac farmers are also condemning the land grabbing measures and harassment of Pancake House bosses Martin Lorenzo and Gabriel Singson, Jr, who also lead St. Tropez Holdings Corp. The St. Tropez firm is claiming ownership of the 154-hectare prime agricultural land at Brgy. Balingcanaway near the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) interchange based on a title that even the DAR Tarlac said that it was illegally obtained as the lands were covered by the agrarian reform program since the Magsaysay government. Farmers from Bayambang town in Pangasinan are also protesting the Cojuangco-Aquino’s land grabbing measures. The Central Azucarera de Tarlac Realty Corp. (CAT Realty) is claiming ownership of the 386.8-hectares of land where farmers have already cultivated since the American colonization. In addition, farmers near the Clark International Airport in Angeles City, Pampanga are condemning the measures of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) of blocking them from tilling their lands. The farmers have tilled the lands since 1981 when the Clark Airbase Command (CABCOM) allowed them to. They were even recognized by the Marcos government when they were covered by the Green Revolution-KKK program and during the Cory Aquino government their cooperative was accredited by the Land Bank who availed them of loans. “Aquino and CARPER are both working against the interest of farmers. Neither have given lands to poor farmers who are not able to keep up with amortization, worse, the program serves as instrument to big landlords and foreign corporations to eject farmers by invoking its anti-farmer provisions. Not contented, Aquino is now pushing the PPP that would surely displace farmers by tens of thousands as it involves large-scale LUC projects such as major highways, mega-dams and industrial-commercial-residential estates,” said Canlas. AMGL is protesting the planned construction of the Balog-balog dam in San Jose town, Tarlac and Balintingon dam in General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija. “Are we stupid enough to allow these dams amidst the effects of Angat and Pantabang dam-Pampanga river to the people of Bulacan and Pampanga this recent typhoon Pedring?” Canlas raised. “There are already San Roque dam in Pangasinan, Pantabangan dam in Nueva Ecija and now the two Aquino PPP-promoted dam. Aquino is planning to kill the people of Central Luzon by drowning,” he added. The group has condemned Aquino’s continuation of Arroyo’s program such as the CLDP, particularly the Metro-Luzon Urban Beltway (MLUB). MLUB is composed by the construction of SCTEX, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), Central Luzon Expressway (CLEX) and North Luzon East Expressway (NLEX East). The TPLEX project has commenced and is now on the process of converting hundreds of hectares of agricultural lands. TPLEX, CLEX and NLEX East project would convert about 1,222-hectares of land in the region. “There are overwhelming reasons why we declare Aquino as ‘enemy of Central Luzon farmers’ but we only have limited opportunity to converse. We suggest that you continue to witness the escalating farmers’ struggle for our rights to land and against the Aquino programs. By covering us continuously, you would definitely understand why we are doing this right now. It is only a matter of time when broad sectors of our society to condemn the Aquino government but it would certainly come. By that time, we would discuss more and reminisce about our journey of fighting for people’s rights to genuine land reform, social justice and democracy,” Canlas said to media. #

















Lakbayan mula Tarlac paputang Supreme Court at Mendiola



x Groups condemn attempted demolition of Hacienda Luisita farmworkers’ camp 10/28/2011 Farmers belonging to Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon), Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Tarlak (AMT, Peasant Alliance in Tarlac) and Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA, Farmworkers’ Alliance in Hacienda Luisita) strongly condemned the attempted demolition of their encampment at Brgy. Balete. According to Joseph Canlas, AMGL chair, about 60 elements of Tarlac city police, 2 demolition teams composed of more than 60 men, military intelligence agents and a squad of the Philippine Army threatened to demolish the camp but were barred by more than 150 Hacienda Luisita farmworkers from doing so. “This is pure harassment by the Cojuangco-Aquinos who consciously sold the problematic hacienda lands to RCBC. Though RCBC filed with trespassing cases, the court has yet to decide thus, demolition has no legal basis whatsoever. If RCBC is truly involved with this, it is playing with fire as farmworkers could easily protest at its main office in Makati for the whole country to see what they are doing in far places such as Hacienda Luisita,” Canlas said. The groups believe that the Cojuangco-Aquinos are racing through time to consolidate their control over the hacienda lands as the Supreme Court would decide on the case of the stock distribution option (SDO). The Cojuangco-Aquinos firmly know that whatever the high court decides, the primary issue would be their concrete hold of the land against the firm determination of the farmworkers. “This clealry shows the backward and feudal attitude of the Cojuangco-Aquinos, they are using brute violence to terrorize the farmworkers who are struggling for their rights to land. President Aquino is similarly guilty as primarily involved his family and with state forces being an instrument of oppression,” Canlas said. The groups said that Aquino has long accepted that he is a guardian of his family’s landlord interests over Hacienda Luisita. “The only thing that is keeping the Cojuangco-Aquinos from repeating the massacre is the strong determination of the farmworkers and the overwhelming public support. The high court has already felt the feeling of being rammed by the broad public during the ‘Occupy Supreme Court’ mobilization that called for the distribution of the hacienda. President Aquino has also seen the three-day occupation of Mendiola,” Canlas added. Groups condemn attempted demolition of Hacienda Luisita farmworkers’ camp The groups are calling for more support from different sectors as the threat of the farmworkers’ camp-out being demolished is continuing. “We invite sectors, individuals and groups to visit the camp-out at Hacienda Luisita. The people should see for themselves the oppression and exploitation the Cojuangco-Aquinos have subjected the farmworkers. This period is a turning point to the history of peasant struggle against land monopoly. Every Filipino should see the very foundation of Aquino’s presidency, the hypocrisy that sustains their landlord control over the hacienda,” Canlas said. #









			x NE farmers caravan against land grabbing and displacement Farmers belonging to Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) and AMGL – Nueva Ecija (Amgl – NE) organized the “Lakbayan laban sa Pangangamkam at Pagpapalayas” (Caravan against Land grabbing and Displacement) and travelled across Guimba, Muñoz, Cuyapo, Quezon, Licab, Aliaga, Jaen and Sta. Rosa where vast rice lands of the province are located. The action is to oppose the stirring land grabbing, displacement of farmers, cancellations of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA), Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT and Emancipation Patents (EP) and foreclosure implemented by Land Bank. The groups claim that Nueva Ecija is a classic model of the bankruptcy of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and CARP Extension with ‘Reforms’ (CARPer). “We all know that Nueva Ecija is the country’s rice granary but farmers still do not own the lands they till and worse they are being displaced and lands being and planned to be converted,” said Joseph Canlas, Amgl chairperson who co-led the caravan. Bankruptcy of CARP The groups cited the case of farmers from Brgy. Manggang Marikit, Bagong Barrio and Yuson (Mambayu) in Guimba town. The Mambayu issue involves more than a hundred hectares in Brgy. Manggang Marikit that used to be part of Hacienda Davis. When it was covered by CARP during the 1990s, it was leased by DAR and Land Bank to Philippine Cotton and a Taiwanese agro-corporation. The Mambayu farmers cultivated from 1992 until the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (PARO) fabricated a list called ListaSaka in 2007. It composed illegitimate farmers and individuals involved with interested financiers and speculators. Members of ListaSaka who was able to position to some parts of the land sold them to a religious sect. ListaSaka leaders are also relatives of Guimba police chief. Since ListaSaka was prepared by PARO, they filed ejectment cases against the Mambayu farmers that reached the Court of Appeals in 2010. Decision of some cases are favorable to ListaSaka while some are yet to be decided. Since last year, the PARO, Municipal Agrarian Reform Office (MARO), Guimba and Nueva Ecija PNP and the 81st Infantry Battalion of the Phil. Army, consistently harassed the Mambayu farmers to vacate the lands. From May to present, the ListaSaka members have attempted numerous times to occupy the lands, backed up by police and military and hired mob but Mambayu farmers are able to defend their rights as they are the ones who developed them. In addition, Mambayu farmers were terrorized by the Oplan Bantay Laya in 2005. They were victimized by extra-judicial killings, abduction and torture. One peasant woman was forced to commit suicide due to constant harassment and his husband suffered a mental breakdown. Until 2007, Mambayu leaders and members were always interrogated and physically harmed by elements of the military. By the beginning of Aquino presidency In 2010, elements of the 81st IBPA transformed the barangay hall of Manggang Marikit as their detachment. They conduct regular military operations to harass the farmers and repress their resistance to the PARO landgrabbing and displacement. Last June 25, the Guimba police chief himself arrested a Mambayu farmer when he was attending his farm and charged with usurpation of real property as complained by ListaSaka leaders. The numerous attempts of ListaSaka members to occupy the lands were defied by Mambayu farmers and support from AMGL. The dispute was raised to the Dept. of Agrarian Reform – Region 3 office (DAR 3) and DAR Central office. The regional and central office affirmed that the case is an agrarian case and they have jurisdiction, thus, cases filed at criminal courts should not be the key. DAR 3 issued a memorandum to review the list of farmer-beneficiaries, essentially junking the PARO’s ListaSaka. “The Mambayu case is one of the worse implementation of CARP, DAR officials who are supposed to push for land reform are the ones very eager to displace them. Their very intention is to sell the lands to interested buyers and subject it to land use conversion, ” Canlas said. CARP claims that Nueva Ecija compose 36% of the total number of FBs in Central Luzon or about 95,855. DAR recorded that covered lands 169,375-hectares thus averaging the farmsize to 1.77-hectares per FB. The CARP working scope for the province reach to 179,366-hectares hence the program boast of 94% accomplishment. Many farmers from Quezon-Licab-Sto. Domingo-Aliaga (QLSDA), south Nueva Ecija and other towns are now facing cases of cancellation of CLOA, CLT and EP, foreclosure by Land Bank and direct ejectment of landowners. Haciendas are also preserved that proves that CARP did not realize genuine land reform or breaking up land monopoly and land distribution to the farmers. In Hacienda Rueda in Brgy. San Andres I, Quezon town, 238.34-hectares have been covered by CARP but annually farmers receive notices of foreclosure from Land Bank. In Brgy. Pulang Bahay, Quezon, CARP covered 455.33-hectares but farmers are facing problems caused by inaccuracies within Land Bank. In Brgy. Bicos, Rizal, CARP-PD 27 covered 412-hectares but farmers are now facing cancellation cases of CLT. Some farmers claim miscalculation of Land Bank, revising the involved lands thus increasing the rate of amortization. In Brgy. Cacapasan, Cuyapo, the 569.40-hectare Hacienda De Santos are cultivated by about 521 farming households. In Brgy. Pacac, Guimba, Hacienda Gabaldon, Hacienda Kilantang and Hacienda Anggara compose the 822-hectares covered by CARP-PD 27 but farmers are now facing cases of cancellation of CLT and EP. In Sta. Rosa, Jaen, Cabanatuan City, San lsidro and other southern Nueva Ecija towns, farmers are facing land cases usually ejectment cases filed by landowners. Some already have their EP but landowners would backtrack into petitioning for their retention targeting the position of farmers. “CARP and CARPer is not a program of land reform as it has not implemented any ‘reforms,’ it is plainly a land transaction where DAR served as the broker, the landlord the seller and ‘farmer-beneficiary’ the buyer. It is even worse than any ordinary business transaction as CLOAs, CLTs and EPs could be cancelled anytime as the landlord and DAR decide,” he added. LUC, CLEx, NLEx East Aside from facing cancellation and foreclosure cases, Nueva Ecija farmers would be victims of the Aquino government promotion of the Central Luzon Development Plan (CLDP) particularly the Metro-Luzon Urban Beltway (MLUB) that includes the Central Luzon Expressway 1 and 2 (CLEx 1 and 2) and North Luzon East Expressway (NLEx East). CLEx 1 would pierce from Tarlac City to Cabanatuan City, then CLEx 2 from Cabanatuan City to San Jose City. CLEx 1 and 2 are estimated to convert about 319.5-hectares of prime agricultural lands and homelots of Nueva Ecija farmers and residents. While NLEx East would pierce from Cabanatuan City, through Sta. Rosa, San Leonardo, Gapan then towards Bulacan province. It would lead to the La Mesa Parkway in San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan where MRT 7 inter-modal station is also planned to be constructed. “This very absence of land reform in the province is the very cause of farmers’ unrest. The Nueva Ecija people are historically revolutionary since the colonial times, they are also usual victims of the state’s fascist attacks but farmers are determined for their rights to land and livelihood. The present Aquino government has not promised nor implement any reforms for the poor farmers, thus, Nueva Ecija farmers know that he is of the same feather as the past anti-farmer and anti-people presidents,” Canlas said.















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x CL farmers slam SC ‘clarification’ on referendum and upholding of Cojuangcos’ interest 08/18/2011 Farmers belonging to the regional group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) criticized the recent “clarification” made by the Supreme Court that its July 5 decision on the Hacienda Luisita dispute did not require a majority vote among the 6,296 farmworker-beneficiaries of either staying as a stockholder of Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI) or land distribution. “The high court’s declaration would cause massive confusion and disunity among farmworkers, instead of resolving the issue decisively of junking the stock distribution option in Hacienda Luisita,” said Joseph Canlas, AMGL chairperson. “The Hacienda Luisita issue is transforming the Supreme Court, supposed to be the highest deciding body of legal issues in the country, into a hesitant body of legal illuminaries upholding the interest of the landlord class. We are now hearing a high court that is pushing the farmworkers to fight among themselves instead of issuing a decision that would finally resolve the matter,” he added. Amgl said that as the high court’s decision spirited the interest of the landowning class in the country and evading the rationality of implementing free land distribution as it would serve as precedent that threatens feudal control of the rich and powerful landlords. The group has also raised the issue that farmworkers who would whould choose “stocks” would remain exploited as it is within the framework of the SDO. “The high court junked the stock distribution plan (SDP) not the SDO, thus, farmworkers who would choose ‘stocks’ would be compelled to work for it as SDO only granted the farmworkers, the ‘right to purchase’ the stocks of HLI,” Canlas said. The group also claimed that the SC decision would give the Cojuangco-Aquinos the right to put together a new stock distribution plan that would be worse than that was scrapped. In addition, the choice of land distribution of the SC decision would legally be through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with “Reforms” (CARPer). Amgl said that CARPer would compel the farmworkers to acquire an “attestation” from the Cojuangcos that they are actual “tenants.” CARPer also provisioned that landowners have the right to set the price of land the farmer-beneficiaries would pay through amortization. “The SC decision is firmly a win-win for the Cojuangco-Aquinos, as neither stocks or CARPer would actually give the lands to the farmworkers. Thus, Hacienda Luisita farmworkers have only their united strength to rely on to actually till the lands such as what they are carriying on Brgy. Balete,” Canlas said. “The only option for the Supreme Court is to decide the junking of SDO in Hacienda Luisita and immediately distribute the lands to the farmworkers. Unless this is realized, they should prepare for the intensifying rage of farmers and sectors who are struggling for genuine and fundamental reforms in the country,” Canlas said. #









		x CL farmers demand support as Aquino gov’t assistance averaged P64.67 per family 10/04/2011 Farmers belonging to the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) demanded concrete support from the Aquino government as typhoon Pedring heavily damaged farmers’ houses and crops that would definitely put them into deep poverty and indebtedness. “Farmers in the region were the most hit by typhoon Pedring, houses of our members in Nueva Ecija were swept away and their crops totally destroyed, fisherfolk communities in Hagonoy, Bulacan and nearby towns were also submerged. They have reported that relief or support from the government has been measly if not inexistent in their areas,” Joseph Canlas said, AMGL chairperson. AMGL said that based on the government data, the region suffered about 80% of the total damages typhoon Pedring caused, amounting to about P7.09 billion. On agriculture alone, crops and livestock, the region suffered value losses of P7.04 billion which is also 80% to the country’s total damages. “This billions of pesos of losses in agriculture are the potential income of farmers but now they are lost and they would not be able to pay their loans. By this problem alone, they would be compelled to pawn or sell their lands just to pay up these loans and the government is ‘missing in action,’” Canlas said. The group added that typhoon Pedring affected about 1.8 million people (68% of the country’s total) in Central Luzon were affected by typhoon Pedring, resulted 30 dead (55% of the total), 11 injured and 5 missing. Bulacan and Nueva Ecija were the most affected provinces involving about 561,000 and 393,909 people, respectively. “We have been constant casualty of typhoons, thus, we demand the Aquino government to concretely act on our predicament. He is nowhere to be found and Central Luzon farmers could not even sense him as president,” Canlas said. The group also noted that government relief efforts that amounted to P25 million in the region is only 0.35% compared to the total value of damages caused by typhoon Pedring. Included here is the Dept. of Social Welfare and Dev’t assistance amounting to about P10 million with P2.5 million coming from the pork barrel of district congressmen. Also on the average it would only give P13.62 assistance for each affected persons or P64.67 per family. “With all the boasting about the conditional cash transfer, Sec. Dinky Soliman’s assistance to the people of Central Luzon amounted to P5.75 per person or P27.29 per family,” said Canlas. “Thus, to somehow alleviate the effects of the typhoon, we demand that the government should implement a moratorium on the payment of the farmers’ loans as obviously they are not incapable of paying up this season, the Dept. of Agriculture to subsidize 50% to 100% of the value of the crops lost to farmers and the immediate assistance of P50,000 for those houses totally and partially destroyed,” Canlas said. “These are relatively little things but somehow would make an effect to the farmers and enable them to rebuild their lives. We emphasize the moratorium on loan payments as this is the usual means of landlords and usurers to grab away lands from the farmers,” he added. The group challenged the Aquino government to implement the immediate assistance as it is his obligation as president to uplift the people’s welfare in times of disaster. “As he could donate $1 million to Japan, it is only rationale that he should immediately do too to his countrymen,” Canlas said. #









x Groups denounce harassment of typhoon-hit farmers by Pancake House bosses, Clark airport management 10/09/2011 Farmers from Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) and Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Tarlak (AMT) denounced the latest harassment of St. Tropez Holdings Corp. owned by Pancake House bosses Martin Lorenzo and Gabriel Singson, Jr. against small farmers of Brgy. Balingcanaway, Tarlac City. The holdings firm charged the farmers with theft and malicious mischief when they dismantled the fences that blocked them from working on their farms. The court is now charging the farmers with bail amounting P40,000. “These Pancake bosses are totally heartless as this is the time of helping small farmers but they are continuously harassing them with legal charges. We are now planning of launching massive protest against St. Tropez this October as the anniversary of Marcos’ sham land reform program PD 27 is nearing,” said Joseph Canlas, AMGL chair. “Our crops were destroyed by typhoon Pedring and now the rich who are suppose to be helping us in this time of need is trying to eject us from our farms,” Domingo Quiani, leader of Aniban ng Magbubukid sa Balingcanaway and AMT. “Where would we get the P40,000 for bail when we are now indebted as our crops were destroyed?” he added. AMGL said that St. Tropez Holdings Corp. have been grabbing the farmers’ land in Tarlac City since 2009 by sending letters to farmers to vacate their lands. On July 2010, the firm suddenly constructed fences around the 60-hectare rice lands. As the farmers’ work was obstructed, the farmers dismantled the fences on November 29, 2010 and delivered the materials to local police station. The firm continued to deploy armed guards on their lands who blocked farmers to work on their lands as well as the irrigation canal that consequently led to small yield of their crops. On July 4, 2011, they have mobilized together with Hacienda Luisita farmworkers to eject the armed guards. In Angeles City, Pampanga, farmers belonging to the Clark Airbase Command Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CABCOM) cultivating the lands that used to be part of the Clark Air Base military reservation are protesting the latest harassment of armed guards deployed by Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) who are blocking them from working on their lands. “The CABCOM farmers are legitimate farmers who tilled the Clark Airbase lands since 1981 when the CABCOM opened the lands to the farmers. In addition, the Marcos gov’t even covered them to the KKK-Green Revolution program and during the Cory Aquino administration they were accredited by the Land Bank who even gave them loans as they were acknowledge by the Pampanga Agrarian Reform Office (PARO) as legitimate farmer-beneficiaries,” Canlas said. AMGL said that they are one of the remaining farmers inside Clark Special Economic Zone as farmers have been displaced by the continuing land use conversion such as the Centennial Park, Global Gateway Logistics City, Clark International Airport, the land covered by Yokohama Tires, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and other industries. #









		x Farmers press DAR to stop conversion of Hacienda Looc, sets 3-day camp Posted by admin on 9/23/11 • Categorized as Featured Militant farmers today called on the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to immediately stop the continuing conversion of the controversial Hacienda Looc in the town of Nasugbu by real estate giant SM Land owned by tycoon Henry Sy into a world-class tourism and leisure destination. The peasant groups Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Ugnayan ng mga Mamamayan Laban sa Pangwawasak ng Kalupaan ng Hacienda Looc (Umalpas-Ka) accused DAR officials and SM Land of collusion to evict farmer-beneficiaries from the more than 8,650 hectare lands. “The DAR and SM Land are obviously in collusion with each other to evict farmers and push through with the anti-people Hamilo Coast project in Hacienda Looc,” says Umalpas-Ka spokesperson Armando Lemita. Lemita said that during their “dialogue with the DAR last Tuesday, officials failed to present any conversion order” and that “SM Land has arbitrarily converted more than 200-hectares of the contested lands for the Hamilo Coast land development project.” “The DAR allowed SM Land to grab our lands,” Lemita said. In 1990, the DAR granted a collective certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) and emancipation patents (EPs) to farmers over Hacienda Looc under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). After several years, the DAR cancelled the certificates after the government’s Assets Privatization Trust (APT) sold the whole Hacienda to Manila Southcoast Development Corp. (MSDC) which also under the SM Group of Companies and give way to an ecotourism zone. KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos said “DAR officials are fully aware that Hacienda Looc is a contested land and that the fraudulent cancellation of their certificates is not equivalent to a conversion order.” “SM Land’s continuing land-use conversion and eviction of farmers in Hacienda Looc clearly shows that the sham CARP is useless in defending farmers’ rights,” says Ramos. “The DAR should immediately stop SM Land from deceiving and evicting farmers,” says Ramos. According to SM Land, Hamilo Coast is its premier, sustainable leisure destination in Nasugbu, Batangas. It is a 5,800 hectare property with 13 natural coves, 25 kilometers of pristine beachfront; forests, mountains, limestone cliffs, and rock formations. The KMP and Umalpas-Ka also announced that more than 100 farmers from Hacienda Looc will start a three-day camp-out before the DAR tomorrow to demand officials to issue a “cease and desist order” against what the group described as “SM Land’s illegal conversion.” #





	Rali sa Supreme Court

x Farmers from two biggest Haciendas urge SC justices to distribute land Posted by admin on 9/13/11 • Categorized as News Manila – Farmers and fishermen from Hacienda Looc, the more than 8,650 hectare estate covered by the government’s agrarian reform program in Nasugbu, Batangas staged a picket in front of the Supreme Court to protest the continuing land-use conversion into the Hamilo Coast project by SM Land owned by tycoon Henry Sy. “Our land is not for sale. It is not a commodity that real estate developers can peddle to their rich clients,” says Mandy Lemita, spokesperson of Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pangwawasak ng Lupa sa Hacienda Looc (Umalpas-Ka). Lemita cited the extravagant advertisement of SM Land on its website that offers Hacienda Looc as the perfect get-away from Metro Manila. “The website of SM Land is a total sham. No one in his right mind should buy this cheap gimmick of SM Land. Hacienda Looc is still a very productive agricultural land,” Lemita added. The group asserted that SM Land cannot develop nor sell Hacienda Looc while a pending case before the Supreme Court is still on-going. “The Department of Agrarian Reform should look into this and should also be held liable if conversion orders were found anomalous,” says Nestor Villanueva of the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-Tk). “Southern Tagalog has been the laboratory of land-use conversions. Hundreds of thousands hectares of farmlands have been transformed into industrial enclaves, commercial centers and so-called ecotourism projects such as golf courses, courtesy of the provisions of the government’s bogus agrarian reform,” says Villanueva. For his part, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas’ Secretary General Danilo Ramos calls the attention of Supreme Court Justices to decide favorably for the land tillers on the several agrarian disputes pending before the high court. Ramos said that after the decision of Supreme Court on the Hacienda Lusita case that ordered for another referendum instead of distributing the lands to the farm workers will set a bad precedent to other agrarian cases. “The farmers all-over the country are now dead-worried, isinusubasta ng Supreme Court ang mga lupaing agrikultural sa bansa (Supreme Court is auctioning the agricultural land in the country),” Ramos added. Farm workers from Hacienda Luisita, the more than 6,000-hectare estate owned by President Aquino’s family, also troop to Supreme Court to file a motion for inclusion for distribution of 500-hectare claimed by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC). After the picket, the group proceeded to the Department of Agrarian Reform for a scheduled dialogue. #









		x Batangas farmers fear ‘domino effect’ of Luisita decision Posted by admin on 9/03/11 • Categorized as Featured,News More than 10,000 farmer-residents in Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas expressed fears over the recent decision of the Supreme Court on the agrarian dispute in Hacienda Luisita, the vast estate owned by President Aquino’s family, saying “the ruling could have a domino effect on the Hacienda Looc case pending before the Supreme Court. “We fear that we will suffer the same fate as Hacienda Luisita farm workers. The SC decision on Hacienda Luisita, once final, could serve as precedent on our case,” says Mandy Lemita, spokesperson of the Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pangwawasak ng Hacienda Looc (Umalpas-Ka). He said “the ruling on Hacienda Luisita proves that the SC is no less than an instrument of big landlords and real estate companies.” Rural-based groups led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK) today staged a 20-vehicle caravan to Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas dubbed “Kampuhang Bayan sa Hacienda Looc” in protest of what they called as renewed efforts by real estate companies to convert the more than 8,650 hectares into world-class eco-tourism project. Hacienda Looc is composed of five villages in the boundary towns of Nasugbu, Batangas and Maragondon in Cavite with an area of 8,650 hectares, the place is endowed with rich natural resources more than enough to provide its populace. It is now being converted into a project called Royal Cliff, Harbor Town Golf and Country Club owned by two of the biggest real estate companies in the Philippines – Fil-Estate Lands and Manila South Coast Development Corporation. The government sold the whole Hacienda, including the 5,218 hectares it has already awarded to farmers under the government’s agrarian reform program. It is part of the grand design to transform the country into a haven for foreign investors and the government is in full support of the Harbor Town Project. “Hacienda Luisita now serves as a prototype for big landlords and real estate giants under the Aquino administration,” KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos said. Ramos said that real estate corporations grabbing Hacienda Looc are now using “the same methods employed by the Cojuangcos to evade land distribution.” “Real estate corporations are following the footsteps of President Aquino’s relatives. Various political maneuvers, oppression, and deception are now being used against Hacienda Looc farmers,” says Ramos. Rodel Mesa, spokesperson of the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), who joined the caravan and two-day camp-out in Hacienda Looc also backed the Hacienda Looc farmers’ fight against land eviction. “Hacienda Luisita farm workers are one with Hacienda Looc farmers. We have the same class enemy,” says Mesa. #





VARIOUS NEWS REPORTS: http://www.gmanews.tv/video/95406/bp-mga-magsasaka-nagprotesta-sa-dagupan http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/12419/Volume-5-No-69/Headlines/PNoy-tagged-as-%E2%80%98enemy-of-CL-farmers%E2%80%99 http://punto.com.ph/data/newspaper-cover/vol5no69_page_1.jpg http://amgl-kmp.weebly.com/4/post/2011/10/prod-work-at-paghahanda-sa-bungkalan-sa-hacienda-luisita-oktubre-14-15-2011.html http://amgl-kmp.weebly.com/4/post/2011/10/lakbayang-magbubukid-sa-gitnang-luson-laban-sa-pangangamkam-at-pagpapalayas-oktubre-17-2011.html http://amgl-kmp.weebly.com/4/post/2011/10/peasant-long-march-to-supreme-court-october-18-2011.html


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