Farmers’ group to go on nationwide caravan to push for land rights

Over a hundred farmers from Maramag, Bukidnon will stage a protest rally today, October 9, before taking off for a month-long journey to Manila to push for land rights.

Members of the Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus (BTL), an alliance of farmers' organizations in Musuan, Maramag town, stayed overnight in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform-Northern Mindanao (DAR-10) in Macanhan, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City before today's protest.

Ireneo Udarbe, secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Northern Mindanao Region (KMP-NMR), said the group is asserting their rights over 500 hectares of land, a portion of the Central Mindanao University (CMU) property.

"Magkampuhan ang mga mag-uuma sa BTL aron ipanawagan ug i-rehistro nga sila ilhon sa gobyerno nga sila lehitimo nga nagtikad sa yuta sa CMU,"Udarbe said.

After a short demonstration today, the group will leave for the 'Baktas BTL' and 'Lakbayan', a month-long caravan of farmers nationwide in Manila.

Udarbe said the BTL farmers will bring their land struggle in the central office of DAR together with other farmer organizations in the country.

"Ang mubo nga programa pagpaila lang nga sila humana og protesta diri sa DAR-10 ug dal-on nila ang problema sa national office sa DAR,"Udarbe said.

"Magikan ang mga farmers diri paingon sa Butuan unya mosakay sa bus paingon Manila moabot sila didto sa petsa 12,"Udarbe added.

Farmers throughout the country will gather and set camp outside the DAR central office for several days and series of mass mobilization will then take place.

The BTL farmers will also join the huge demonstration to call the government for genuine land reform in time for the 'farmers week' this month.

Udarbe said the BTL's 800 farming families have been pressing their rights to own the portion of CMU land that they have been tilling for over three decades.

But, until now they are remained deprived by their rights even with irrigation, electricity and other social services of the government.

Udarbe said the farmers were granted as beneficiaries of the land during the administration of late president Corazon Aquino but the state-run university appealed before the Supreme Court and won.

"Beneficiaries ni sila sa programa ni Cory Aquino nga ilaha na ang yuta pero nagprotesta ang CMU kay dili makapanag-iya ang mga farmers kay iya daw ni sa gobyerno nga property. Nidaog ang mga farmers sa Court of Appeals pero niapelar ang CMU sa Supreme Court ug nidaog sila,"Udarbe said.

"Kana nga portion wala na tikara sa CMU gani ang uban portion sa yuta gipaabangan man sa mga private institutions. Mao nagprotesta sila balik para maila ang yuta,"Udarbe added.

Udarbe said its high time for the government to hear the demands of the farmers and implement genuine land reform programs instead of favoring the expansions of plantations of the multinational companies.

"Daghan buslot nga balaod sa gobyerno nga nagpabor sa mga adonahan. Gani gihimong negosyo sa gobyerno ang yuta nga unta libre nga ipang-apod sa mga mag-uuma aron dili maglisod ang katawhan sa pagkaon," Udarbe added.