Volume 30 Number 10 February 1, 2017 | Wednesday
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EDITORIAL 11
LOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED over the fight for land.
The sector of agriculture is the widest avenue for industrial growth in the Philippines. However, even with vast lands for farming, this resource has failed to alleviate poverty in rural areas.
E D I T O R- I N- C H I E F Agatha Hazel Andres Rabino A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R F O R I N T E R NA L S Aries Raphael Reyes Pascua A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R F O R E X T E R NA L S Sofia Monique Kingking Sibulo M A NAG I NG E D I T O R Arthur Gerald Bantilan Quirante A S S I S S TA N T M A NAG I NG E D I T O R Adolf Enrique Santos Gonzales NEWS EDITOR Eunice Biñas Hechanova NEWS COR R ESPONDENTS Elizabeth Danielle Quiñones Fodulla Patricia Anne Lactao Guerrero Anton Gabriel Abueva Leron Niña Keith Musico Ferrancol Leah Rose Figueroa Paras Shaila Elijah Perez Fortajada F E AT U R E S E D I T O R Chloe Pauline Reyes Gelera F E AT U R E S C O R R E S P O N D E N T S Justin Danielle Tumenez Francia Liezl Ann Dimabuyu Lansang Jennah Yelle Manato Mallari Marilou Hanapin Celestino C U LT U R E E D I T O R S Josef Bernard Soriano De Mesa Thalia Real Villela C U LT U R E C O R R E S P O N D E N T S Jose Lorenzo Querol Lanuza Jonerie Ann Mamauag Pajalla GR APHIC S EDITOR Jazmine Claire Martinez Mabansag R E S I D E N T I L LU S T R AT O R S Michael Lorenz Dumalaog Raymundo Jose Paolo Bermudez Reyes Danielle Montealegre Rodriguez R E S I D E N T P H O T OJ O U R NA L I S T Kyla Dominique Lacambacal Pasicolan
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The Cover Illustration Marie Angelu de Luna Pagobo
Layout Kyla Dominique Lacambacal Pasicolan & Jazmine Claire Martinez Mabansag
The question of land distribution is the main conflict in the countryside. Farmlands are monopolized by large corporations and wealthy figures, that acquire majority of the produce and accord a meager percentage of yield of the land to the workers. With determination that they will be able to bring change and end the cycle of corruption, thousands of farmers marched to Mendiola to ask for a dialogue with then President Corazon Aquino. Still ignored despite their negotiations with authorities, they pushed against the barrier of police to forward their claim. In return, they were showered with bullets, the usual way that the administration has never failed to respond. This enactment of state violence, dubbed as the Mendiola Massacre, claimed the lives of thirteen farmers and wounded about eighty people.
JAZMINE CLAIRE MARTINEZ MABANSAG
PERSISTING STRUGGLE
a country that is still stranded in a feudal society where the voice of the people is unheeded, stand firm on Following the recent commemoration the mandate of promoting equality, of the Mendiola massacre, groups justice and peace. Be in one with pressure the government to the campaign of the marginalized immediately implement genuine land sectors against tyrannical giants reform. Resonating with the change that exploit the people. Continuously in the framework of agreement lobby against policies that oppress that binds farmers to the elites, the the people, and strive to arouse, abolishment of retention of lands mobilize and organize. Endeavor under landlords should be attained. To battle roots of neoliberalism and to break the chains of state fascism Alongside this, the farmers should be fascism, it should be a priority to that stifle those that forward the receiving proper wages aligned to the confront the ills of the persisting calls of the people. Dismantle the burden of their hold of neoliberalism work, and on the policies that inclusive of grant freedom to ndeavor to break the chains of state the expenses the few privileged to be incurred but restrict and fascism that stifle those that forward the in equipment. burden the majority calls of the people ismantle the hold of of the population. These cases of unjust neoliberalism on the policies that grant The victims of the treatment on Mendiola massacre freedom to the few privileged but restrict the labor force died as they were that fuels the imploring the and burden the majority of the population ag r icu lt ura l government to sector is a settle the feud over major blow not farmlands, and in only to the farmers that devote feudal system that plague the socio- attempting to bring about change in their lives to their work, but as economic development of the nation. the agricultural sector. Their fate is well as to the nation depending tragically repetitive, as inequality on the agricultural produce. In line with this, the ongoing peace and injustice still exist in various talks between the government of the aspects in society. For over thirty The news of the Sakadas who Philippines (GPH) and the National years, there has been no initiative experienced severe and inhumane Democratic Front of the Philippines by the national government to working conditions in Hacienda (NDFP) has still not reached a confront and resolve the issue that Luisita provides more insight to settlement as the government these victims have brought forward. the issue. Despite being promised refuses to enact the comprehensive to be subsidized in terms of food agreement on socio-economic The masses have the right to know and farming tools under an alleged reform (CASER). Under the CASER, the hindrances to the country’s project of President Rodrigo Duterte, farmers would supposedly be freed development, and should be aware of these farmers agreed to enter the from the grasp of big corporations the injustices that truly plague society. contract. Currently, the sick and the and tycoons as land would be Furthermore, the need to forward hungry Sakadas were not assisted rightfully distributed among the these problems to the government financially, and were further forced laborers. Within the agreement, and seek solutions is crucial at to continue tilling the lands in their the rights of farmers as owners this time. The administration condition. Likewise, the manipulative of the land will be highlighted, must answer to the calls of the agreement that the Lapanday Foods and the benefits they receive for people and serve its purpose of Corporation (LFC) extended to their their labor would be appropriated. making basic social services and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) justice accessible to its subjects. only allowed the corporation to As such, the development in land extort money and produce from these distribution is fundamental, as The fight is far from over. farmers, and restricted these groups much as the upholding of the welfare to work under their corporation. of the farmers. As progressives in Armed and in power, the government stays tucked away in its seat and watches injustice unfold from above. Below, the people are bound under debt and dubious contracts, which strictly confine them in repetitive and harsh labor. Moreover, in favor of the elites that fuel the capitalist society, justice is never served to the farmers.
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