Dapat tutukan natin itong kaso ng mga magsasaka ng Sumilao, Bukidnon na ngayon ay nasa labas ng opisina ng Department of Agrarian Reform.
Dalawang buwan naglakad ang 55 na Higaonon na magsasaka (1,700 kilomenters) mula Bukidnon hanggang Manila para lamang maipaglaban ang kanilang karapatan sa lupa na dapat nasa kanila at ngayon ay nasa San Miguel Foods Inc.
Ang kuwento ng mga Sumilao farmers ay nangyayari sa maraming bahagi ng Pilipinas. Hindi lang ito nangyayari sa Bukidnon. Ito ang kuwento ng pagkaganid ng tao. Ito ang kuwento ng mga sakim na gusto pang dagdagan ang kanilang yaman.
Ito ang kuwento ng pang-aapi sa mga maliliit. Ito ang kuwento ng pamahalaan na kapakanan lamang ng mayayaman ang nakikita. Ito ang kuwento ng pamhalaan na wala sa puso ang mga mahihirap.
Ang mga mangsasaka o ang kanilang mga magulang ang orihinal na tumira sa Sumilao ng hindi pa uso ang titulo sa lupa. Mga 243,885 ektarya ang kanilang sakop.
Nang mga 1930’s bigla na lamang may hawak na titulo ang isang pamilyang “Angeles” sa lupa ng mga Sumilao farmers. Ginawang rantso ang lupain. Nalipat ang titulo sa mga Ilagan. Noong 1970’s nahati ang lupain at dalawang tao ang may hawak ng titutlo: Salvador Carlos at Norberto Quisumbing.
Ang 144 na ektarya na napunta kay Quisumbing at ipina-renta sa Del Monte Philippines at naging trabahado ang mga magsasaka sa lupa na kanilang pag-aari.
Nang ipinatupad ang Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law noong 1988, nasama ang 144 ektarya ng nasa pangalan ng mga Quisumbing. Naisyuhan ng titutlo ang mga magsasaka. Maganda na sana.
Kaya lang siyempre, maraming pera ang mga Quisumbing, kaya maraming paraan ang nakikita para makahanap ng lusot sa batas. Pina-convert nila ang classification ng lupa: mula sa agricultural, naging agro-industrial kahit may batas na ang mga pangunahing agricultural lands at hindi pwedeng i-convert. Inaprubahan ito ni Executive Secretary Ruben Torres noong panahon ni Fidel Ramos sa Malacañang. Iba na kasi kapag maraming epra at may kapit sa kapangyarihan.
Sinabi ng pamilya Quisumbing na magpapatayo sila ng Development Academy of Mindanao, cultural center, Institute for Livelihood Science, museum, library, golf course, at Mindanao Sports Development Complex, Bukidnon Agro-Industrial Park, Forest Development and Support Facilities kasma na ang isang hotel,, restaurant at housing projects.
Walang nangyari sa mga planong yun. Ibinenta ng pamilyang Quisumbing ang lupa sa San Miguel Foods Inc.
Sa panahon ni Gloria Arroyo, pinagpapasahan lang ang mga magsasaka. Sabi ng DAR hindi raw nila sakop ang kaso. Sabi naman ng Malacañang, sa DAR yun. Ngayon sabi ni Pangadaman, pag-aralan pa raw niya.
Ibig sabihin nun, naghihintay siya ng order mula sa Malacañang.
Every public official in Bukidnon must be “pro” something! Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Boycott Monterey Meat shops!support the Sumilao farmers!
I hope after shaking off the jet lag, Zubiri will include the Sumilao farmers in his agenda……. unless he is “coerced” into joining the next junk__.
Monterrey? Sumilao farmers? It’s a no brainer!
OK, aside from SMC (which my family already started boycotting), Monterrey and Quisumbing…what else are the companies that should be boycotted?
Pinagpapasahan nila ang Sumilao farmers, let’s show our support by boycotting those ‘nang-aapi’ to our dear Sumilao brothers!
Ano pa nga ba, e di naghihintay na naman ng kumpas ng wand ni gluerilla si Pangadaman. Baka kasi siya kalbuhin ni gluerilla dahil puro ‘friends’ ng bruha ang kalaban ng mga Sumilao farmers. Duwag!
Boycott closely followed by “timed” civil disobedience after the Christmas holidays probably?
Di kayo nag-iisa! TULOY ang LABAN.
Ang Bukang-liwayway ang laging naglalarawan ng isang buhay na pag-asa.
Ang Diyos na BUHAY ang ating patnubay, “So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6)
God Bless You All Sumilao farmers!
The Sumilao farmers’ agenda is just a tip of an iceberg. Anomalies in the agrarian reform are tolerated under the corrupt Arroyo regime. The recovered $ 683 M (27 billion pesos) Marcos Swiss deposit is almost gone except for 8 billion for human rights victims. The proceeds should go to the landless farmers under the CARP law. The recovered Marcos Swiss wealth had been spent by Gloria Arroyo in 2004 presidential campaign and 2005. Joc-Joc Bolante’s multi-million fertilizer scam was part of he recovered wealth.
The comprehensive land reform program (CARP) to redistribute vast tracts of agricultural land was flawed from the beginning. It was designed with legal loopholes from stock distribution option, industrial conversion and splitting to meet the 5 hectares retention not covered by CARP. Hacienda Luisita (Cojuancos) used the SDO and this tested Cory Aquino’s sincerity in her government program on farmers. Hacienda Grande (Arroyos) used splitting and put Gloria Arroyo in the same league with Cory Aquino.
Norberto Quisumbing used conversion to sell the property to a corporation SMC. The refusal of DAR to issue cease and desist order on SMC was to recognize the legal sale to SMC which was made possible in 1996 (Ramos) Malacanang cancellation of CLOAs which was upheld by Supreme Court in 1998. Even if the DAR will side with the farmers, SMC will not give up its 2.5 billion business without a fight which will take years and SMC has the advantage to complete it. The Supreme Court will have to revisit why the industrial plan was granted in 1998. Not meeting the original industrial plan (what is the use of the park?) is less of an issue when actual business operation of state of the art hog farm has superior advantage of supporting continuity of supply of corn that Sumilao farmers produced.
“Sa panahon ni Gloria Arroyo, pinagpapasahan lang ang mga magsasaka”
The past presidents are in the same boat, however.
-Cory Aquino and her Hacienda Luisita.
-Fidel Ramos approved the Sumilao conversion.
Bakit nagkaroon ng Huk agrarian rebellion sa Central Luzon?
From all angles, it looks initially like the Sumilao farmers are fighting a lost cause. The Supreme Court decision cannot be undone, at least, not in their lifetime.
Their only recourse is the award of equivalent-sized farmlands in the same area. That is very much within DAR jurisdiction. Or they can appeal to the generosity and magnanimity of San Miguel Corp., which act, if supported by its consumers, can expedite the process by leaps.
A consumer-led threat of boycott against the huge conglomerate especially in this season of splurging on foodstuff will be strategic and could possibly render this critical issue as urgent and of the utmost import.
It’s time the citizens doubling as consumers showed some muscles. No more Blink and Wait Movements.
Kilos na Pinoy, dali. Late ka na.
Kung lupa rin lang ang pinagaawayan, bakit di na lang scrappin ang CARP law. Upang masaya lahat, bigyan ng bawa’t Filipino pag abot sa maturity age compulsary ng residential lot at samahan na rin ng passport. Iparent ang ibang lupa sa mga farmers, sa coops, sa agribusiness. Sa ganito, walang away ang mga anak, mga tamad, mga absentee landlords, mga tiga RD, mga haciendero, mga nagrarally. Land for all.
“Kung lupa rin lang ang pinagaawayan, bakit di na lang scrappin ang CARP law.” – Valdemar
Because part of political advertising of every president is homage to the farmers, the agricultural base of the country. Large part of the its land is agricultural. In essence, the CARP manage to redistribute excess landholdings from the middle class instead since the old rich have taken the legal loopholes (conversion, haciendas splitting and SDOs).
On the other hand land distribution is unrealistic in the long term because of increasing population as currently the world 12th most populous in such a tiny country.
“Iparent ang ibang lupa sa mga farmers, sa coops, sa agribusiness. Sa ganito, walang away ang mga anak, mga tamad, mga absentee landlords, mga tiga RD, mga haciendero, mga nagrarally. Land for all.”
That was the case before the CARP. However, the farmers wanted to own the land that they tilled.
” Not meeting the original industrial plan (what is the use of the park?) is less of an issue when actual business operation of state of the art hog farm has superior advantage of supporting continuity of supply of corn that Sumilao farmers produced.”
This might help us better understand the plight of the Sumilao farmers.The issue here is not the ruling of the Supreme Court but the non-compliance of the approved conversion plan on two grounds:
1. The time frame stipulated- the development of the property should be started within one year upon its approval and should be completed within five years…this was not observed.
2. The purpose of conversion (the basis of the Supreme Court also known as the terms of the development) – for lack of blog space I will just choose what I think will help the farmers. Sixty Seven hectares of the said land will be used to put up the Bukidnon Agro-Industrial Park consisting of a processing plant for corn oil, corn starch and various corn products(corn is the produce of the Sumilao farmers), not withstanding the construction of the Development Academy of Mindanao consisting of an Institute for Higher Education, Institute for Livelihood Science, Institute for Agri-Business Research among others.
The following acts or omissions shall warrant revocation of the Conversion Order:
1.” Non-compliance with the conditions of the Conversing Order.”
2. “Conversion to a use other than that authorized in the Conversing Order.”
The “hog farm” was not the authorized use in the conversing order.
Bibigyan ng lupa ang landless,Ang tanong, Papayag ba ang mga illustrados? Una ang mga haciendero ay nagkaroon ng hacienda dahil sa pagsiskap nila.The government could not distribute land to the landless unless it recovered land from those who were illegally possessing it.
Walang magagawa ang mga kasama o sakada kung ano ang gagawin ng may ari sa lupa niya,siya ang nagbabayad ng buwis,Kung ipagbili niya o isangla niya ito sa bangko ay karapatan niya iyun.
The distribution of land alone does not empower people unless they are also provided access to additional resources: water, farm-to-market roads and equipment to develop the land. Such facilities can only afforded by rich in the civil bureaucracy, like the big land owners, use influence to politicians,Mayoe,governador and congressman in excahnge for electoral support to gain access to the road networks and water.Peasants,kasamas or sakadas tend to leave their lands barren or sell them to the local landlords.
There can be no genuine land reform, the powers that be constitute so many illustrados, they can always close ranks and use the numbers game to protect their own interests. These people can even influence the creation of government policy, they can block any reform that threatens their interests.
Of “boycotting” SMC, call! I’m delisting them from my customer base, its a company mired in so much debt anyway they have to sell several companies. And if you see the inside of some of their plants – deplorable…
Sa lahat ng pinakakawawa ay ang mga taong walang lupa,mas masahol pa sa daga na walang sariling lungga.Sabi nga ni Benigno,este dOdOng pala,dumadami ang tao at lumiliit ang lupa.People are running out of Real States.Madali lang naman solusyunan iyan kung magpapasa si Sen.Lapid ng batas ng “Weekly Night of Separation” na ang ibig sabihin ay hiwalay muna ang mag-asawa sa kama na parang color-coding ni Fernando.Water conservation pa ang maging advantage at pagdating ng after 9 months may day-off ang mga OB Gyn at midwife sa maternity wards,kaya lang magagalit si padir wala siyang collection kung walang bibinyagan.
Juggernaut,
“Of “boycotting” SMC, call! I’m delisting them from my customer base, its a company mired in so much debt anyway they have to sell several companies.”
Very courageous… What could be your company’s reaction?
I am not boycotting SMC.Masarap ang Beer nila.Isa pa pag binoycott ninyo ay marami ang mawawalan ng trabaho,saan sila kukuha ng pambayad nila sa Meralco pag nawalan sila ng trabaho? Ayaw na ninyo na madagdagan pa ang DH OFW.Sige nga ano ang mangyayri kay Luzviminda kapag nawalan siya ng marketing job sa San Miguel Corporation? Baka matulad na naman siya kay Ranario.
cocoy:
ano kaya sa palagay mo kung pagdugtungin ang Isla ng Samar sa Bicol region?
Tambakan ng lupa o basura ang pagitan ng probinsya ng Sorsogon at Northern Samar?
Alam mo dun sa Singapore, iyong Jurong Island ay nagawang nilang palakihin sa pamamagitan ng reclamation.
Nuong isang beses pa nga eh nang mapunta ako ng Sentosa(Siloso beach) ay may napansin ako na ‘this way to Palawan (Pulau)Island’
Sa loob loob ko, nanaginip ba ako?
Aba’y parang nasa Spratly yata ako dahil malapit lang pala ang Palawan?
Siguro kayang kaya kung sama sama tayong lahat pati na kayong mga nasa ibang bansa na ipunin ang mga basura at ipanambak natin para lalong lumawak ang sakop ng Pilipins peninsula.
Lalawak ang kalupaan ng bansa natin.
* * *
Minsan nga naiisip ko na mas malufet itong si Stamford Raffles kung ikukumpara kay Miguel López de Legazpi.
Kita mo naman kung ano diskarte para lumawak ang nasasakupan o kalupaan?
Imbes na pananakop sa pamamagitan ng mercenaries, reclamation ang ginagawa sa Singapore.
nelbar;
Pweding mangyari iyang pipe dreams mo kapag naging One is to One na ang palitan ng U.S.Dollar.Makakabili na tayo ng maraming styrofoam at kahoy,makakabili na ng mga yati ang mga mangngisda natin,Lahat ng Islands sa boung kapuluan ay magkakabit-bakit na ng San Juanico bridge.Magkakaroon na ng tinatawag na reclamation implant.Maganda iyan,kukuha na rin ako ng real states license at magbinta ako ng giniling na buhangin,maraming batong buhay doon sa gilid ng lupain namin,kung gusto pa nila ay pati dahon ng sasa doon sa sapa sa halagang isang piso-isang dolyar.
Agree ako sayo, cocoy.
Minamata mata ni Benign0(w/ slash) ang tindahan sa Pinas eh samantalang marami ang matatandang Fil-Am ang piniling mag-settle na lang dito sa bansa natin.
Paki tanong nga dyan sa mga convinience store sa abroad kung meron silang tinda na ikmo at bunga para sa nganga?
Kung hindi alam ito ng mga Fiilipino community sa abroad, hwag na silang magsabi na “ako ay pilipino”.
Ang isa sa mga spekulasyon ko kung bakit inawayan ng tatay ni Ace Vergel na manirahan sa Merika ay dahil walang NGANGA duon.
juggernaut says: “…………These people can even influence the creation of government policy, they can block any reform that threatens their interests.”
no! this should read: “These people can even influence the CREMATION of government policy, they can block any reform that threatens their interests.”
para sa sarili nilang interest, right?
kaya kailangang sunugin ang anumang government policy na maglalagay sa alanganin sa kanilang pagiging gahaman.
jug,
pis, tayo, ‘ane?
Arroyo to play Santa Claus to 600,000 families nationwide
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 04:55pm (Mla time) 12/11/2007
MANILA, Philippines — As her chief political nemesis, ousted president Joseph Estrada began doing the rounds during the holidays in poor communities in Metro Manila, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will launch this week her own Christmas gift-giving program that will benefit some 600,000 families, Malacañang spokespersons said Tuesday.
Each family beneficiary — 400,000 from the 10 poorest provinces in the country and 200,000 from Metro Manila — will receive a bag of goodies containing two kilos of rice, noodles, and canned goods under the President’s “Pamaskong Handog” project, Lorelei Fajardo, deputy spokesperson, told reporters in an interview.
http://www.newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=106220
‘ampangit na santa klaws ito!
ano ibibigay niya sa mga tao, ‘yung mumong tira sa ginastos niya sa paglalamiyerda?
‘tangna, nagpasarap muna bago nagbigay ng kunwaring pamapalubag loob sa mga piniling papapaskuhan!
kapal ng mukha!
gaya gaya puto maya!
gloria, maging oridyinal ka naman bukod sa pagiging walanghiya mo!
“President Arroyo has been viewed as the most corrupt of Philippine presidents in recent history, a Pulse Asia survey result showed Tuesday.
Mrs. Arroyo topped the list with 42 percent of respondents nationwide. Former strongman Ferdinand Marcos came second with 35 percent while ousted President Joseph Estrada ranked third with 16 percent.” – ABS-CBNNews as of 12/11/2007 5:58 PM)
ace:
sinabi ba duon na kasama ang may “pinaka” may crony, dynasty, gambler, wheeler&dealing, kamag-anaks, scams(i.e., real estate, centennial), imeldific lifestyle, anak factor, most travelled(w/ yayas & chimiah-ah), friends and relatives at marami pang iba?
“Very courageous… What could be your company’s reaction? – adebrux”
Anna,
Honestly, my company doesn’t want to deal with companies that require “under the table deals” its against European business guidelines. I deal with them on a take it or leave it basis, no OP (overpricing), if they opt for inferior quality, its their choice…
SMC
But I just can’t turn my back on San Mig Light! Buy one, hold it, look at it, the label (both neck and body) are made of metallized wet strength paper, printed on flexo, reel to reel, with on line die-cutting, the glue used is formulated in such a way that the labels come off easily for easy cleaning (National Starch special formulation) its was my baby a few years back…I sold them for P1.30/set (in millions of sets!) Boycott everything, but not San Mig Light…
Mrivera,
You are wit in the flesh!
You know, this piggery business of SMC was supposed to be in Vietnam. I was surprised why some of the Vietnam staff returned middle of this year? Okay, compromise, boycott Monterey only or anything related to the piggery! I just remembered the marketing staff of Purefoods are my badminton barkadas, we play in Ateneo – okay, let me think about it, parang “overkill” na rin ano?
“This might help us better understand the plight of the Sumilao farmers.The issue here is not the ruling of the Supreme Court but the non-compliance of the approved conversion plan on two grounds” – ace
The final arbiter is still the Supreme Court.
The final arbiter is still the Supreme Court- d0d0ng
The case of the Sumilao farmers is not yet a justiciable case as far as the Supreme Court is concerned.It is still at the moment an administrative issue, the DAR Secreatry must first make a decision regarding the compliance of the approved conversion plan for or against the Sumilao farmers, then SMC or the Sumilao farmers can petition the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the case and make a ruling on the said matter.
“The issue here is non-compliance, the purpose of conversion (the basis of the Supreme Court): sixty seven hectares of the said land will be used to put up the Bukidnon Agro-Industrial Park ” – ace
There is irony because in this week manifesto submitted to the CHR, the farmers actually insisted “that the farmland should not be wasted” on the industrial park. This doesn’t sit well with the justices either (down the road just in case DAR will side with the farmers) since the early decision made in conversion was to support continuity of corn production which is the source of income in Sumilao.
In non-compliance issue, the cure is not outright reversal. There is mitigation or substitution which SMC can demonstrate with its 2.5 billion investment to support the livelihood of the farmers.
“The case of the Sumilao farmers is not yet a justiciable case as far as the Supreme Court is concerned.It is still at the moment an administrative issue” -ace
Exactly the point. It is still a long way to go. In long term, SMC has all the bullets to win.
Obviously, Malacanang distance itself from Sumilao case and wanted DAR (its fall guy) to make the decision. Corporate investment and job generation multiplier are better in economic objectives than political issue of granting land titles. If I am the DAR sec., I will side with the farmers on the basis that DAR is created as political unit for the farmers. Let SMC argue its case in Supreme Court which I know it can win.
Okay, not San Miguel, Miguel Arroyo nA LANG!
dodong,
You’re right…I’ve dealt with SMC for more than 10 years, they know how to win…
“I’ve dealt with SMC for more than 10 years, they know how to win” – juggernaut.
In corporate planning, the well-paid legal team scrutinize every step for (legal) risk assessment. SMC would not have initiated its 2.5 billion investment without the legal confidence. The legal statement is right there on the size of its investment.
In corporate planning, the well-paid legal team scrutinize every step for (legal) risk assessment. — dodong
In Afghanistan they will fail because SMC’s legal beavers don’t understand that in some countries, “my word is my bond” is sufficient.
Heh! This is not a world with which the average your Atong Ang and his company can deal. There they will lose! BIG TIME too! Hah!
Nobody seemed to notice, well, no one has mentioned it yet here but at least one woman from the Sumilao marchers was interviewed after being released in Bicutan with Ellen’s group. She has only kind words for Trillanes and company and had hoped that the standoff at the Pen would have led to dialogue.
She further told the reporter that before the Pen incident, she thought that the military was merely an instrument for the landed elite to harass farmers like them who only wanted to reclaim what rightfully belonged to them. She intimated her fear of soldiers, but seeing what Trillanes and company stood for changed all that. That’s why she had gone to the Pen.
Make no mistakes about it, these ordinary folks can distinguish who the real enemies are. Magdalo soldiers, for them, are no villains. It’s just one of the many positive results elitists, no, social climbers have failed to refute.
One can order SM beer almost anywhere in the world. Its available. In the thick of the Vuetnam war, we were supplying san miguel beer and other products to the vietcongs a part of what we deliver to the saigon US naval ports. For SMC to fail in Afghanistan is not debatable.
In my paper, the govt just payoff the landowners. The beneficiaries mostly absentees and lazy strive not to pay and sell their awarded lots and rally afterwards when their places were converted and inproved by other enterprising people with connections mostly with the DAR rep. The govt could take back all those lands to give away. There is 15% or 51m sq km of the country not arable but overlooking, nice country for residentials. That is enough to the 59M 15 yr old and above filipinos and to accommodate the 1.7 growth rate for the next hundred years. This is not including yet the vast corals offshores where many are used to stilt houses. So theres no problem the govt cant give away resisential lots free. All the negatives you bring in, try to solve them. Remember that there is 85% yet to rent out and become agriculturally and business productive.
“If I am the DAR sec., I will side with the farmers on the basis that DAR is created as political unit for the farmers. Let SMC argue its case in Supreme Court which I know it can win.”-d0d0ng
If I am the DAR Secretary, I will also do the same but as to the meaning of “siding with the farmers” is the crux of the matter. The farmers want DAR to stop the construction of the hog farm which SMC I am sure will fight tooth and nail, so, at the end of the day the issue becomes both political and legal.
Your idea d0d0ng is Solomonic but if I were SMC, I will talk to the farmers and negotiate with them but only after the farmers realize that this will be a long-drawn-out uphill legal battle. This is good publicity, SMC can even opt to make a commercial regarding their “earnest desire” to help the farmers.
Its a good thing nahihiya si PGMA na magcertify ang bill sa pagbabayad ng mga Marcos victims to be rushed before vacation time. Baka naman magging midnight bill. I have been objecting always to use the DAR money to bribe anyone. Actually, the victims and their kins asked payment thru the US court. So what is our reason to pay. Di naman kasama yan sa coalition of the willing. Coalition of the sipsip siguro.If the politicians wanted votes, they get it from other sources, like their pork barrels but not from the farmers money. I am asking anyone who have victims in their family to tell them to have a little delicadeza and not bother to get paid from the DAR fund. Pwede pang pantulong upang magkaroon ng lupa ang lahat.