‘Maximum tolerance for Lakbayan march’

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will continue to observe maximum tolerance in the next few days of the Lakbayan protest rally, which is participated in by several cause-oriented groups from all over the region.

“Of course, we will be implementing maximum tolerance as per guidance of our regional director,” said Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, CCPO director.

He said the over 500 participants were cooperative in following instructions for them to stick to their converging points and the protest route, as was discussed last Sunday.

The protesters marched against what they called the alleged militarization and monopoly against farmers.

Members from northern Negros arrived in Cebu City and merged with those from Cebu and Bohol at the Sto. Rosario Church and went to Plaza Independencia.

Bayan Negros chairman Christian Tuayon lamented against what he called the continuing monopoly by landowners against farmers and requested an increase the government to increase the salary of land workers.

He said the government should stop the implementation of “neo-liberal pre-trade agreement policies” to give way for local products in the market.

“Wala nang market kasi napakamahal nang produksyon natin dahil sa mga neo-liberal na pre-trade agreement policies na pinasok nang gobiyerno, kung saan binubuksan nila ang pagpasok nang mga sweetener products na pumapatay sa lokal na industriya. So nagkakaharap nang krisis sa sugar industry. Kaltas lang yan sa ginansiya nang mga haciendero pero kamatayan yan sa ating mga magsasaka," he said.

He said now is the time to show the real situation of the farmers in the country and that the government intervene to support them.

“Dapat ipakita kung ano ang kalagayan nang mga magsasaka sa bansa. Dapat ipakita na ang mga magsasaka na siyang naghahatid nang produksyon nang pagkain ay sila yung ginugutom at yun ang totoong kalagayan nang mga magsasaka,” he said.

He said farmers earn less than a hundred pesos a day because of the “pakyawan system” being implemented by landowners.

“Kung arawan ay P260 plus yung mandated wage sa mga planted at non-planted na lupa sa agrikultura,” he said.

“Kung pakyaw naman may presyo na yon. Kunwari, nagtratabaho sila sa weeding sa halagang isang libo sa isang hektarya at mayroong dalawampu o higit pa na magsasakang nagtratrabaho.  Paghahatian nila yung isang libo so masyadong maliit yun, at ganon yung sistema sa halos lahat nang mga sakahan sa Negros kun saan grabe yung gutom na kinakaharap nang mga manggagawa sa tubohan lalo na yung mga sakada o mga migrant workers,” he added.

Tuayon said that what the farmers earn in reality is not enough compensation and could not support them and their families’ everyday needs.

This is the reason why farmers want a salary increase of P50 per day and a 50-percent increase for the pakyaw system.

Tuayon said that it is important for each farmer to have their own land so that they can earn more in every food production.

He said they were likewise calling for the end to killings and attacks against farmers, who are only fighting for their rights.

“Sa Negros mahigit 10 yung biktima nang political killings sa hanay nang mga magsasaka, at isa yun sa mga panawagan din natin na itigil na ang pasistang atake ng gobiyeno laban sa mga nakikibakang magsasaka na lumaban sa repormang agraryo,” he said.

While he acknowledged the government’s agricultural programs, he considered them as merely short-term solutions and not effective in solving the problems they face.

“Kung sa usapin nang pagtugon meron tayong engagement sa mga agencies kagaya nang Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Labor, kung saan meron silang mga band-aid relief na tumutugon sa mga panawagan nang mga magsasaka,” he said.

He said more support is needed for the farmers to develop a more efficient strategy for better food production.

He said nine out 10 farmers in Negros who were awarded by the Department of Agrarian Reform had lost their lands due to the lack of support from the government, like the distribution of fertilizers and seeds and other mechanisms.

“Kulang sa support services at walang capital na gawing produktibo ang lupa kaya ang ginagawa nila ay ibenebenta nalang ito,” he said. (FREEMAN)