Walking from Bukidnon to Malacañang; the Sumilao Farmers' Protest

[gareb]

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there is a group of Lumad Higaonon farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon who is protesting the unfair land conversion act by Malacañang of what was originally CARP (Comprehesive Agrarian Reform Program) land into a private business property by the powerful Cebuano family, the Quisumbings.

even before the Quisumbings could put into place the strict conditons of converting the land from 'agricultural' to an 'industrial' classification (hence not within the CARP), the Quisumbings have sold the 144 converted estate to the Cojuanco-controlled San Miguel Corporation. the Quisumbing plan was to build an agro-industrial park within the said estate, and by law, the San Miguel Corporation was suppose to implement this being the present owner of the converted land. they have instead placed piggery facilities inside the area.

the Sumilao farmers feel that since the conditions of the conversion were not met, the land should be given back to them, the original beneficiaries of CARP.

they have decided to walk all the way from Sumilao, Bukidnon to Malacañang as a sign of protest to seek justice, walking 1,700 kilometers to Manila in 60 days to reclaim the 144 hectars of land promised to them a decade ago.

the history of the farmers' struggle was featured last night (November 6, 2007) in ABS-CBN's The Correspondents.

related articles:

Malacañang favors the rich in Sumilao farmers’ case
Palace junks anew farmers’ petition over Bukidnon CARP land
LETTER: Sumilao farmers are in need of social justice
Protesting Sumilao farmers reach Tacloban
Doyo: Sumilao redux

petition:
Return the Land of the Sumilao Farmers!

[godsaint]

This is because of the failure in implementing of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CArP) During Cory Aquinos' time.Farmers were given the land title but still the hacenderos are holding the original copy.Meaning pakitang tao lang sa gobyerno.I grew up in Negros and Ive seen lives of thse farmers.They were force to work in sugarcane plantation with just 50 pesos wage a day because of poverty.Imagine if 50 pesos can feed the entire family?I joined in the Sumilao Farmers protest and I symphatized with their cause even if it is almost impossible for them to have wht they wanted.A piece of land just for a simple living.A piece of land not even enough to send their children to school.

[sirius]

i have been to and also lived in Bukidnon, well dili mani sila maingon ani kung kaning mga tawhana wala nag sige ug pamaligya sa ila land before, naka experience gyud mi ani kay ako family nakapalit ug yuta didto then after ana naa nasad ila ancestral domain nya ila gi claim tanan gyud nya unsa na lang man tong kwarta nga gibayad sa ila? nya karon mag rally2x pa ni sila

[godsaint]

lau namn kaau nang imong istorya bro.Ang gi rally ani nila dili katong gibaligya nila nga yuta kung dili katong gihatag kunuhay sa ila sa gobyerno bilang tugon sa CARP.Kinsa man buanga nga tawo molakaw sya gikan Mindanao padung Manila para lang kuhaon ang iyang gibaligya nga yuta?Ang gipakigbisog nila ang dili seryoso nga programa sa atong gobyerno.For example ang mga yuta ni Danding Cojuanco didto sa Negros.Unsaon nimo maingon nga imo na gyud ang yuta kay duplicate ra man sa land title ang imo.Naa man kay Danding ang original.mao sad na ang nahitabo sa uban pang lugar sa Pinas.Ang Sa Sumilon mao na ni ang gitawag nga abuse sa mga tawong bright kunuhay sa mga tawong kahibalo sila nga sayon lang nila mauto.

[sirius]

well actually ang uban ani nila kay saop na na sila, but before sila na saop kay mostly ani nila gitawag nga lumad sa Bukidnon, kay sila gyud ang owner ani before pero ila ni gapang baligya nya karon ila na sad i claim balik, though naa sila point kay naa man agrarian reform act pero dapat sad nila pagbayaran ila gipang buhat sa una oi nga sige lang pang baligya ana ila yuta

[mahleeh]

d kaha ni cla mangabakol sa nilakaw sa kalayo? hahaha

[clarkhkent]

pero sa tinuod lang no....para nako galibog ko unsaon nila paghimo nga dili man tawn sumpay ang pinas....naa pa gud dagat nga agi-an....unsaon kaha ni nila pag himo sa?

[godsaint]

nilakaw ni sila from Sumilon bukidnon to Surigao then pag abot didto nisakay sila barge padung leyte then nilakaw nasad sila san Juanico bridge pag abot didto sakay na sad sila padung manila then lakaw padung malacanang just to be snub by our corrupt president.Im sure of that.

[mahleeh]

ako pa nila mag puyo nlang ni sila ky bsag manglayat pani cla sa Bridge wala silay mabuhat hahahaha

[godsaint]

If you are in the mountains ,you cant have symphaty with people living in the cities because they dont know what is life in oppression.
What is life being fooled because of ignorance.