BMFI

'Solar Drier'
12 November 2007

Yesterday's Walk for Sumilao Land, Walk for Justice was a normal journey for the Sumilao farmers, except for rain from time to time. The whole stretch of yesterday's walk from Sorsogon City to Brgy. Putiao, municipality of Pilar covered 37 kilometers. They left Sorsogon City at around 4 a.m. after their morning rituals (stretching, exercise and coffee). 

The ranks of the Sumilao Farmers for the whole march was peaceful and in order. Rene Peñas was assigned to lead the marchers.

The by-standers noticed a different hat of the farmers. Eventually it became a long-running joke when they realized that those were the underwear of the marchers. Most of them brought with them a pair of underwear and they usually wash their dirty clothes including undies at nighttime. They do not have any time to hang their clothes that's why some of them put their underwear on their heads while walking. They call this “solar drier.” They usually do this in their homeland in Sumilao, Bukidnon especially when they have to go farming for days. It is for them a normal practice.

Dr. Grace Bag-ao, the marchers' "resident" doctor, is currently worried of their their health. Most of the farmers are suffering from cough and colds because of the weather. Rain or shine, the farmers are continuously walking. To lessen their pains and suffering, they regularly take their vitamins and some other “over-the-counter” medicines. Aside form that, every night, the farmers are paired and each of them was encouraged to massage their partners.

The farmers are likewise suffering from skin friction (halas/pilas) between their thighs (singit). And this makes their pace slower. Dr. Jeffrey Ramos, from Davao Medical School Foundation, advised the farmers to apply petroleum jelly to the affected areas. He also suggested to wear tights or cycling shorts. On this regard, the farmers are badly in need of petroleum jelly and since cycling shorts are too expensive, they are requesting panties. (They said panties during these times are more comfortable to wear than briefs.

They spent the night in the Holy Family Parish in Brgy. Putiao, Pilar, Sorsogon.

Meanwhile, some support groups of the Sumilao farmers, together with Peter Tuminhay and Quirico Ligmon, are currently doing simultaneous initiatives in support of those who are currently walking. Yesterday, they had a meeting with Congressman Bulut and DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman regarding CARP Extension. Then they attended the meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Agrarian Reform.

Right after the two said meetings, they again met with Congressman Bulut. During the meeting, Quirico Ligmon, one of the Sumilao farmers, appraised those in attendance of the chronology of events with respect to the Sumilao case and the current petition for cancellation of the conversion order. Congressman Bulut responded as he expressed awareness of the Sumilao campaign and mentioned how the marchers' plight is deplorable. Ligmon also informed the legislator that the Sumilao farmers are expected to arrive in Manila on 3 December 2007 and will pass Batasan on 6 December 2007 . On this regard, Ligmon asked Congressman Bulut if the marchers could seek an audience with him. The staff of the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) informed the congressman that an invitation will be formally sent to the latter's office for said purpose.

Revisiting the Sumilao Case: The Instant Case is Different from the Supreme Court Case of Fortich vs. Corona

The instant Petition involves a new case with a totally different cause of action from the first Office of the President (OP) case with No. 96-C-6424, issued by then Executive Secretary Ruben Torres, granting NQSRMDC's application for the conversion order. The first OP case pertains to the approval of the conversion order of the subject land which was affirmed by the Supreme court in the case of Fortich vs. Corona.

It is important to clarify that the instant case does not seek to assail the abovementioned Decision of the Office of the President. Rather, this Petition is a separate though related remedy provided under the law; revocation of the conversion order because NQSRMDC and/or SMFI failed and continues to fail compliance with the conditions in the conversion order, both those NQSRMDC itself has enumerated in its approved application and those legal provisions and administrative issuances necessarily attached to said conversion order.

That matter being clarified, petitioners hereby assert that the Supreme Court case Fortich vs. Corona does not serve as an obstacle to the determination of this petition, as opposed to the assertion of the respondent SMFI and as articulated by this Honorable Office of the President in its Decision dated 3 October 2007, based on the following reasons:

• The petition for revocation is not barred by res judicata because the Fortich vs. Corona decision was not an adjudication on the merits;
• There is no identity between the causes of action in the said case and in the instant Petition for Cancellation of the Conversion Order;
• The Petition for Cancellation is not barred by conclusiveness of judgment; and
• The petitioners have legal standing in the instant case

The Call of the Sumilao Farmers: Restore the Dignity of the Sumilao Farmers

Notwithstanding their loss in the Supreme Court be mere technicality, the Sumilao farmers' commitment of regaining their ancestral land was never diminished. In fact, it even strengthened the MAPALAD farmers towards their advocacy for genuine agrarian reform.

The Sumilao Farmers established the MAPALAD Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) in order to reinforce their organization. Further, MAPALAD campaigned for the CARP coverage of the adjacent Salvador Carlos Estate which is still part of their ancestral land. Subsequently, a CLOA was issued to the MAPALAD farmers making them the owners of the land. Salvador Carlos initially opposed the distribution of his land to the farmers and a barrage of cases ensued before the courts. The MAPALAD farmers were criminally prosecuted for grave coercion when they attempted to possess their own land. Several farmer leaders were imprisoned in jail.

With divine providence, Salvador Carlos eventually understood the plight of the MAPALAD farmers and their basic desire to have a piece of land to call their own. In his last will, Salvador Carlos agreed to subject the land for coverage under CARP with the Sumilao farmers as beneficiaries. They finally regained a portion of their ancestral land. But it was not that easy for the MAPALAD farmers. Francisco Reyes, the administrator of Salvador Carlos, refused to heed the Voluntary Offer for Sale (VOS) submitted by Salvador Carlos to the farmers. When the MAPALAD farmers initiated their land occupation of the property, Reyes brought several armed men to harass the farmers. But the latter persisted in successfully occupying the land. The family of Salvador Carlos even joined their thanksgiving mass where they gave the farmers rosaries and a statute of the Virgin Mary. It was a momentous event for the MAPALAD farmers and the Carlos Family.

The MAPALAD farmers immediately cultivated the cherished land. The cooperative, with 78 farmer beneficiaries, employed a communal farm development wherein each member was allocated a farm lot ranging from .45 to .9 hectare depending on their participation in the MPC's projects. A portion thereof was allocated for a communal farm support community development projects such as farm technology, gender sensitivity trainings, and paralegal formation activities. Despite the inadequacy of the 66-hectare land for at least 137 growing households, the MAPALAD farmers proved that they can develop the fullest potential of the land for agricultural productivity and at the same time for the advancement of the whole community.

Not only that, the MAPALAD farmers also encouraged the formation of another peasant group in San Vicente, Sumilao which led to the establishment of San Vicente Landless Farmers Association (SALFA) composed of 90 farmers, 90 percent of whom belong to the Higaonon tribe. Several members of SALFA are the children of the MAPALAD farmers and the rest are the other farmers and farm workers residing in the barangay. The MAPALAD farmers also would want the SALFA members to carry on their struggle for a genuine agrarian reform and their dream of possessing a precious land that is actually theirs in the first place.

All the SALFA members are landless. Apparently, the 66-hectare Carlos Estate distributed to the MAPALAD farmers is not enough for more than 400 farmer-residents in Sumilao. There are many farmers who are still landless amid some cherished victories on the Carlos land. They merely depend on a Php50 to Php80 labor pay per day during harvest season. Outside the harvest season, they engage in broom making where they are paid one peso per broom. This meager earning could hardly provide food for their family. Not one of them had completed their schooling. The SALFA members also dreamt of one thing – a land of their own.

The following were the support groups yesterday:

• SANDIGAN;
• Municipal Government of Pilar, Sorsogon;
• Cope Foundation;
• PAKISAMA
• Social Action Center (SAC) of Sorsogon; and
• Congregation of Security of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity

The Sumilao farmers are currently negotiating the roads from Pilar to Daraga with 23 kilometers. Tomorrow, they will proceed to Ligao City and will traverse another 34 kilometers.

The Sumilao farmers are requesting for petroleum jelly and panties.