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Central Luzon, Hacienda Luisita farmers slam Aquino’s disregard of land reform
07/25/2011

Farmers from Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) and Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) denounced president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s disregard of land reform on his program of governance and declarations such as his first one hundred days and first state of the nation address (SONA). The groups said that they expect no difference on today’s SONA or simply tall tales.

“Aquino has nothing to talk about land reform as he ignored the plight of Filipino farmers, particularly in Central Luzon and Hacienda Luisita. We expect nought or farcical lies of his achievement on land reform,” said Joseph Canlas, Amgl chairperson.

Amgl is referring at Aquino’s inexistent land reform agenda and disregard of the systematic problems Filipino farmers are presently confronted with. The group also lambasted his promotion of the Republic Act 9700 or Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with “Reforms” (CARPer), Public-Private Partnership Program (PPP) which they called as “anti-farmer” and “anti-people.” The group claimed that Aquino has simply continued former president and present congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s development program in the region such as the “W-corridor,” including the Metro-Luzon Urban Beltway (Mlub).

“The very strong illustration of Aquino’s abandonment of the farmers is the Hacienda Luisita issue. He is unable to uphold the interest of the poor farmworkers against the interest of his family Cojuangco-Aquinos. The whole country knows that their family defrauded the public to acquire the 6,453-hectare hacienda and now they are desperately repressing the farmworkers’ struggle to cultivate the land,” Canlas said.

The group is holding Aquino responsible for the legal crisis the Supreme Court is now facing as he ignored his duty to pursue the resolution of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) revoking the stock distribution option (SDO) in Hacienda Luisita and he did nothing to convince the Cojuangco-Aquinos to withdraw the petition for the Temporary Restraining Order against the resolution. Many sectors such as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) and Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP) are supportive of the farmworkers and now calling for the junking of the SDO and the SC decision of referendum.

“CARPer is displacing farmers away from their land in the region. It is paving the way for big landlords, real estate developers and foreign corporations to control productive agricultural land more rapidly than its precursor CARP. It has strengthened the rights of the landlords and not of the farmers,” he added.

Amgl cited the case of Nueva Ecija province, where the bulk of the farmer-beneficiaries of CARP is located, composing 41% of the lands or 169,375-hectares the Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR) claims to be distributed on its 2010 accomplishment report. But farmers are facing massive displacement as landowners and real estate developers are intensifying their claim on lands in anticipation of infrastructure projects promoted by the Aquino government.

The group said that Aquino is adopting the “W-corridor” development program in light of inviting foreign and local investment in the region. It is pinpointed by eco-zones and industrial hubs in the region namely, Masinloc Eco Zone (Zambales), Subic Bay Special Economic Zone and Freeport (Zambales), Bataan Technology Park in Morong, Bataan Export Processing Zone in Mariveles, Clark Special Eco Zone, Hacienda Luisita Eco Zone, Hermosa (Bataan) Eco Zone, Magalang (Pampanga) MADCI, Philippine Jewelry Center in Meycauayan, Bulacan, Gapan, Cabanatuan City and Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija, then towards Baler and Dingalan freeport in Aurora.

“Aquino’s regional development program is not even original as it was implemented by the hated Arroyo government. Now Aquino who claims he is for reform has simply carried on her agenda and this worsens displacement of farmers,” Canlas said.

“Aquino’s PPP has caused problems to farmers, such as his promotion of the Central Luzon Expressway (Clex), Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (Tplex) and its tributary roads. Farmers from Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and other provinces are being victimized by widespread landgrabbing,” Canlas said.

The Aquino government has particularly promoted and offered the construction of the Clex 1 and 2, North Luzon East Expressway (Nlex East) to foreign investors at the website of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The group estimated that Tplex, Nlex East and Clex would convert about 1,222-hectares of productive agricultural lands of the region, thus, displacing farmers and robbing them of their source of livelihood.

In addition, Amgl said that land grabbing and displacement worsened during the first year of Aquino. The group is citing cases: near the interchange of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (Sctex) and Sta. Rosa-Tarlac national road in Tarlac City and La Paz town; the 13,000-hectares covered by the Republic Act 10083 or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Act of 2010 (Apeco) in Casiguran and 312-hectare Food Basket program in Maria Aurora, Aurora province; the 386.8-hectares involving 12 barangays in Bayambang town, Pangasinan claimed by the Cojuangco-owned Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) Realty Corp.; land grabbing of military officials and displacement of farmers within the 3,100-hectares in Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Laur, Nueva Ecija; the 57,930-hectare watershed program of Lopez-controlled Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and California Energy (CalEn) that displaces indigenous peoples’ communities in Pantabangan and Carranglan towns, Nueva Ecija; displacement in many areas in Bataan; massive cancellation of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA), Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT) and Emancipation Patents (EP) in many towns of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac and Pangasinan; land grabbing of Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte of the 300-hectares in San Miguel, Bulacan and displacement of farmers cultivating 84-hectares formerly part of Hacienda Davis in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

“Aquino is a traditional landlord president, no different from past administrations who neglected the Filipino farmers and hindered genuine land reform. As it is clear that he has failed the farmers of the region, as well as the country’s, we are en route for calling his ouster or resignation,” Canlas said. #

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Visit the website of:

Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL)

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Phrases “land reform,” “Hacienda Luisita,” “farmers,” not mentioned in Aquino’s SONA, “wang-wang” 18 times, group tallied
07/27/2011

The regional farmers’ group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant alliance in Central Luzon) tallied significant words from the full-text of president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s state of the nation address (Sona) last July 25 and found out they were never mentioned. They also noticed that Aquino used the word “wang-wang” 18 times.

“This is the latest insult of Aquino to the Filipino farmers. As if we are not significant, like insects, not worthy to be mentioned on a Sona. Aquino is fulfilling his role as an anti-peasant president, a landlord icon and defender of the Cojuangco-Aquino interest in Hacienda Luisita,” said Joseph Canlas, Amgl chairperson.

Amgl joined the people’s protest along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. They are also the group who constantly support the Hacienda Luisita farmworkers under Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala). Ambala is a member-organization of Amgl.

“When we are listening to Aquino’s speech at the protest, we simply thought that it was not ‘edible,’ he is talking Gloria-like about facts and figures that poor Filipinos have no use of. His manner of speech is un-president, he is either talking about macro-economics or about small things like ‘wang-wang,’” Canlas said.

Amgl counted that Aquino used the word “wang-wang” 18 times, while none about pertinent agenda on the farmers. The tally was as the following: “lupa” 2; “reporma sa lupa” (land reform) 0; “magsasaka”, “magbubukid” (farmers) 0; Hacienda Luisita 0; “kahirapan” (poverty) 1; “agrikultura” (agriculture) 2; “karapatan pantao” (human rights) 1; “kapayapaan” (peace) 0; “demokrasya” (democracy) 0 and “kalayaan” (freedom) 1.

“Aquino talked about land but he was not referring to land reform, poverty but on the conditional cash transfer (CCT), agriculture related to his development program copied from former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, human rights referring to Bishop Palma of the CBCP, freedom about local government units (LGU),” Canlas said.

“He never mentioned us farmers, the majority among us Filipinos, especially Hacienda Luisita farmworkers, he has accepted that he is indeed an enemy of the Filipino farmers. House helpers are luckier than us as he promised them just wages and benefits,” he added.

The group added that Aquino has not committed to prosecute former president Arroyo especially about the P728-million fertilizer scam and other corruption cases involving the agriculture department. Aquino not at all brought up the human rights abuses resulted by Arroyo’s counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya.

“Central Luzon farmers have nothing to expect from Aquino, but devastating programs such as his Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program, his promotion of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with ‘Reforms’ (Carper), globalist policies such as privatization and liberalization of the energy sectors involving hydro-electric dams that cause displacement to indigenous peoples and destruction to crops. The planned construction of superhighways are threatening to displace many farmers from their land, including the Hacienda Luisita farmworkers,” Canlas said.


Hacienda Luisita “bungkalan” (cultivation)

“As we are totally disregarded by the Aquino government, we would take the lead to uphold our rights to land and we are doing this now in Hacienda Luisita,” Canlas said.

Amgl said that farmworkers under Ambala have occupied the 500-hectares claimed by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) at Brgy. Balete and Texas since July 15. The farmworkers said that RCBC’s claim was a result of the Cojuangco-Aquino’s deception of farmworker-beneficiaries selling lands that they legitimately own.

“We are now at the process of parcelling the lands to be awarded to deserving beneficiaries. We are prioritizing the families of the victims of rights abuses, those who persistently struggled for their land rights and the most impoverished. This is far more superior than Aquino’s CCT program,” Canlas said.

Amgl affirmed that the bungkalan is the concretization of justice being serve to the Hacienda Luisita farmworkers. They added that it encoins the true meaning of social justice, opposite to the July 5 referendum-decision of the Supreme Court.

“The high court have decided in favor of the Cojuangco-Aquinos, thus, we are affirming the demand of the Hacienda Luisita farmworkers that is land. We are strongly united for this bungkalan, thus, any attack of the Cojuangco-Aquinos would be faced by broad protest and condemnation. We also advice the RCBC management to demand the Cojuangco-Aquinos of any losses they have incurred as they are the ones who ripped them off,” Canlas said.

The group said that RCBC should hold the Cojuangco-Aquinos for consciously selling lands that are historically under dispute. The latter has the clear intent of defrauding RCBC by assuring them that they would not be affected by the agrarian dispute.

“We are constantly monitoring the movement of the RCBC security guards at Brgy. Balete, but we are not considering them as our main adversary as they have no record of abuses against the residents. But we are cautioning them against colluding with the military based at the barangay hall, and also with the corrupt barangay official who is a lackey of the Cojuangco-Aquinos,” Canlas said.

Amgl said that Ambala is planning the sustained campaign of bungkalan, particularly on other barangays as local farmworkers have also demanded to cultivate the land.

“This bungkalan is the exact opposite of Aquino’s state of the nation address as farmers could concretely benefit from the fruits of the land, the harvested rice coming from these lands are going to feed the hungry Hacienda Luisita farmworkers. On the contrary, Aquino and his corrupt syndicate should eat the paper his sona was printed on,” Canlas said. #
 

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Tarlac city council express support to Hacienda Luisita farmworkers
07/20/2011

The regional farmers group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) and Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) commend the Tarlac city council for passing a resolution rejecting the referendum or forcing the farmworkers to choose “stocks” or land distribution and supporting the clamor of distribution of Hacienda Luisita to the farmworkers.

On Resolution No. 293, adopted on July 14, 2011, the 12-member city council led by vice mayor Miguel A Tañedo, stated that though they welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke the stock distribution plan (SDP) implemented in Hacienda Luisita “we view with concern the modification contained in the same decision which states that the farm worker-beneficiaries ‘shall have the option to remain as stock holders of Hacienda Luisita Inc.;” and “referendum will only obfuscate the real objective of land reform which is to give land to the tillers;”

The Tarlac city council recognized the farmworkers demand for genuine land reform and junking of the referendum. City councilor Emily L. Facunla personally delivered a copy to Ambala at their camp-out at Brgy. Balite. Councilor Facunla is the sister of councilor Abel Ladera who was killed on March 3, 2005, a supporter of the striking farmworkers and the 2nd victim of extra-judicial killings that followed the infamous “Hacienda Luisita Massacre.”

“The farmworkers are very happy with the visit of councilor Facunla, especially when she expressed support of the ‘bungkalan’ (bungkalan). She is the first government official, aside from the barangay officials, who visited the camp-out,” said Fidel Castro, Amgl vice-chairperson who is regularly staying at camp-out.

Ambala who occupied the lands fenced by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) at Brgy. Balite since July 15 is on the fifth day of preparing the land for cultivation. They have surveyed more than 10-hectares of 1-hectare parcels and used tractors to plow the land. The group said that RCBC fenced about 184-hectares of land, planned to be converted as an industrial park for Japanese companies. Amgl said that RCBC could not purchase the land without knowing they are under dispute and added that they should resolve their problem with the Cojuangco-Aquinos and not prohibit the farmworkers who are the legitimate owners of the land.

“If Ambala farmworkers do not cultivate these lands now, these would only be converted and the opportunity to produce food in Hacienda Luisita would be minimized. The bungkalan is a historical action of the farmworkers as Hacienda Luisita lands are on the brink of being converted as what the Cojuangco-Aquinos intend to do,” Castro said.

Ambala said that they are on the stage of finalizing the list of beneficiaries of the land and after doing so, they expect that the farmworkers would immediately work on their land. The group said that “bungkalan” would certainly give them source of food and livelihood, a total contrast when lands used to be cultivated with sugarcane.

Amgl and Ambala said that they would lead a regional protest in Tarlac City on July 21, where at least a thousand farmworkers would come out to be joined by farmers from different provinces. On the next day, they would proceed in Manila to file the motion for reconsideration at the Supreme Court and participate at the Inter-faith rally sponsored by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

“We invite the different sectors to witness and participate in the bungkalan. This is a historical event as these lands used to be under Spanish colonial control and Cojuangcos feudal rule for almost 50 years. This is the liberation of the land, the would eventually serve the interest of the people, not by a rich few,” Castro said. #
 

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Farmworkers, chuch groups link to call for distribution of Hacienda Luisita, reject referendum and SDO
07/22/2011


Farmworkers from Hacienda Luisita joined the rally sponsored by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) at Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. Leaders and members of Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), a member organization of the regional farmers’ group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon), alongwith church leaders and activists demanded distribution of Hacienda Luisita to the farmworkers and junking of the Supreme Court decision of referendum and stock distribution option (SDO).

“Land cultivation is the very interest of Hacienda Luisita farmworkers, they have been demanding land ever since the SDO was implemented in 1989. They are presently on their ‘bungkalan’ campaign and it is the very proof that they want land,” said Joseph Canlas, Amgl chairperson.

Amgl and Ambala are demanding the junking of the referendum, SDO and they have earned the support of the church sector for sustaining their campaign since the Hacienda Luisita Massacre on November 16, 2004.

“The sacrifice of the martyrs of the massacre would only be compensated by the actual tilling of the farmworkers on the land the Cojuangco-Aquinos have controlled for many decades,” Canlas said. He added that the referendum is a blatant disregard of the farmworkers’ rights, upholding of the Cojuangco-Aquino interest and injustice to the victims of rights abuses related to the dispute.

“We know that the Supreme Court’s decision is beneficial to the Cojuangco-Aquinos, and the only means to compel them to take it back is to launch massive protests,” Canlas added.

“Our country should focus on important issues such as land reform, particularly Hacienda Luisita. We should be vigilant that the Aquino government would use all its resources to cloud public opinion and hide his incompetent governance by using public figures as escapegoat,” said Joseph Canlas, Amgl chairperson. Amgl is refering to the endless exposé led by Aquino’s agency officials and putting sectors and personalities in bad light such as the Catholic bishops and former president and Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Though there are issues with CGMA and she should be held accountable, the Aquino presidency is overstating to prevent focus on his anti-people policies resulting the economic crisis faced by the majority of the Filipino people. Legitimate issues are flooding but Aquino is attempting to evade it by bombarding Arroyo with sensationalized accusations,” Canlas said.

“Aquino should quit his performance as if he is serious in prosecuting Arroyo. His government could not even pursue the P728-million fertilizer scam case, filed by the different peasant and fisherfolk groups and now his pretension of being for reforms have totally died out,” he added.

Amgl and Ambala accused the Aquino government for betraying the Filipino people by not realizing his promises of fundamental reform. The groups said the country is facing systematic agrarian unrest, wage freezes, unemployment, price increases, displacement and rights abuses.

“President Aquino could never deny that he is useless to the farmers, indigenous peoples, fisherfolk, workers, youth-students, urban poor and other sectors. Worse, he is the promoter of the interests of foreign monopoly, big foreign and local landlords and corrupt government syndicates,” Canlas said.

Amgl said that land reform is inexistent with the Aquino government even on the president’s pronouncement.

“He is a total hypocrite when it comes to the Hacienda Luisita issue. He promised during presidential elections that he would distribute the land in 5 years, then adopting a ‘hands off’ policy when he sat as president, then involving the SC decision, he is like a rubberband, changing declarations in a matter of days,” said Canlas.

“This day is a very significant day for Hacienda Luisita farmworkers. The broad support is finally on the upsurge and definitely, president Aquino would be compelled to backtrack his family’s interest, otherwise face the wrath of the Filipino people,” he added.

Amgl said that many Hacienda Luisita farmworkers are fuming that most of them are calling for Aquino’s resignation.

“The farmworkers have all the bases they need to seek Aquino’s resignation as he never served for their interest or for the Filipino farmers, or any marginalized sector,” Canlas clarified. #