COMMENTARY
Human face of Sumilao
By Ernesto Ordoñez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:17:00 03/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines--Last March 23 and 24, the main headlines of the Philippine Daily Inquirer were both on Sumilao. The reported draft agreement between the Sumilao farmers and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) would "apportion to the farmers 50 hectares from the original contested site, plus another 94 hectares from an adjacent property."
The Inquirer also reported on the planned issuance of a joint statement by both parties on March 25.
Since this statement has not yet been issued, I went to see the Sumilao farmers now camping at the Caritas office in Pandacan.
They are composed of two groups: the Mapalad Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MAPALAD) composed of 75 farmer families from the first generation led by Toto Merida, and the San Vicente Land Farmers Association (SALFA) composed of the second generation led by Merida's nephew, Yoyong Merida.
This was not the first time I met the Sumilao farmers. Before SALFA was organized in 2004, MAPALAD staged a 28-day hunger strike in 1997 claiming their rights to the contested Sumilao land.
It was then already a member of PAKISAMA, which is one of the 42 federations and organizations that compose the Alyansa Agrikultura.
The Alyansa's unanimous position, guided by the opinion of legal luminaries such as Joaquin Bernas, SJ, and Christian Monsod, has always been to support the Sumilao farmers in their claim on the Sumilao land.
However, the Alyansa also unanimously suggested that the Sumilao farmers, half of whom are affiliated with the Alyansa, be open to an agreement where their rights would still be respected, but that SMC could continue their praiseworthy agro-industrial project through a win-win agreement.
The Sumilao farmers agreed to this, which is why the negotiations have progressed so well.
Damaging information
When one hears about the Sumialo farmers' struggle, one cannot help but be impressed. And when one actually meets them, one cannot help but be inspired. Their human face adds tremendous strength to their valid cause.
They have been pictured in some media reports as opportunists who are being paid by unscrupulous parties wishing to take over SMC operations. Thus, the initial propaganda was that the Sumilao farmers were never open to allowing SMC to operate in the contested land. I know from my dealings with them that this was never true. The current negotiations prove the reality.
The other contention is that Sumilao farmers are greedy. It was claimed that many are not legitimate because they are not from the area, while the rest have already gotten land from an adjoining estate and want even more.
Sumilao farmer Penas reports that only last week, all the 166 Sumilao claimant families were once again screened by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and confirmed as legitimate agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the land given them from the adjoining estate was only 66 hectares. This translates to an average of only 4/10 of a hectare per family, when DAR has stated that 3 hectares is the minimum that a family should ideally have.
If the Sumilao farmers get the additional 144 hectares they are now claiming, each family would increase its average holding to an average 1.27 hectares, not even half of the minimum 3 hectares stipulated by DAR. This is greedy? Far from it.
The Sumilao leaders are among the most generous you will ever encounter. We have read about their praiseworthy cause. But if one meets them in person, he or she will see firsthand their desire to help, at great sacrifice to themselves.
In 1996, Penas studied to become a paralegal to help his fellow farmers. Because of his proven commitment to small farmers through the years, he was elected in 2004 as the chair of PAKISAMA, the largest national farmer organization today and a ranking member of Alyansa Agrikultura.
On October 9, 1997, Peter Ligman, a founder and the first chair of MAPALAD, brought his sister Linda and other Sumilao farmers from 137 families to stage a "lugol," an indigenous form of hunger strike.
On the 27th day, Linda dramatized their plight by refusing to take even water. She later collapsed and was hospitalized. Nevertheless, she undertook the gruelling march 10 years later with the same Sumilao farmers, fighting for the same noble cause.
The lawyers supporting the Sumilao farmers' cause are equally admirable.
Marlon Manuel turned down a lucrative multinational firm offer to devote his time with SALIGAN, an NGO helping the Sumilao farmers. Arlene Bag-ao joined SALIGAN right after graduating from Ateneo de Manila Law School, flew to Sumilao temporarily to assist in 1996, and chose to stay there for the last 11 years to help them.
Tragically, two lawyers from SALIGAN died in a plane crash when they were on their way to Sumilao to meet the farmers.
Model to emulate
Much credit should also be given to SMC CEO Ramon Ang. Instead of dragging this case out, he has generously agreed to engage the farmers' representatives in a win-win arrangement. On two separate occasions where I was personally involved, I saw Ang's commitment to help other small farmers.
When Ang was asked if SMC was nearing a deal with the Sumilao farmers, he was quoted as saying: "Yes, it's Cardinal Rosales' wish." It is also the Sumilao farmers' right. And with the goodwill of Ang and the farmers covering both sides, Sumilao's human face will become evident in the forthcoming win-win agreement that can serve as a model for others in the future.
(The author is the chair of Agriwatch, former secretary for Presidential Flagship Programs and Projects, and former undersecretary for Agriculture, and Trade and Industry. For inquiries and suggestions, email agriwatchphil@yahoo.com or telefax (02) 8522112).
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