BMFI

March 3 update:
MARTSA Sumilao: Vigil at the CARITAS Center

Today (March 3), the Sumilao farmers are holding a vigil at their camp at CARITAS Center, Pandacan, Manila. They will have a community prayer every hour until midnight. Tomorrow morning, they will march to the Arzobispado for an audience with Cardinal Rosales.

They are presently staying at the camp, made by the support groups from Manila, in front of CARITAS. They left for Manila from Cagayan de Oro City last Friday (February 29) taking the Princess of Paradise of Sulpicio Lines. Said shipping company was generous enough to give the farmers big discount. At 8:30 a.m. of the same day, they had a rally in front of the regional office of the Department of Agrarian Reform. With their decision that they will focus their energy at pressuring Malacañang, they folded their DAR camp. At 12 noon, they went to Xavier University to attend a Eucharistic celebration officiated by 5 priests, including Fr. Jet Villarin, president of Xavier U. The priests gave the Sumilao farmers their blessings for their safe and successful journey.

The Kristohanong Katilingban Alang sa Pagpakabana (KKP) and the Year of Service (YOS) generously offered them a hefty lunch. Around 2 p.m., the support groups of Cagayan de Oro City, including the volunteer students of Xavier University, walked with the farmers from Xavier to the Cagayan de Oro Port. At 4 p.m., the Princess of Paradise left the port.

While they were on the ship, they set their internal systems and processes, which is very important especially with their large number. For purposes of monitoring themselves, they either wore their headbands or T-shirts. The crew members of the ship were very accommodating and chatted with the farmers who also openly shared the reason why they were going to Manila.

They arrived at the Manila port in the afternoon of March 1 (Saturday). Upon disembarking, they chanted their demand for the issuance of the cease and desist order (CDO) and notice of coverage (NOC). They were thereafter brought to CARITAS through the buses of the Claretian Sisters and Hospicio de San Jose.