Ormoc farmers now own lands after 20 years of struggle

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 23 (PNA) -- After two decades of waiting, farmers are more optimistic of what the future holds now that they are officially landowners.

“We don’t have to labor hard now like before. We are sure that our children can now go to school,” said Pablo Silva,” one of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries in Sumanga village, this city.

After 20 years of waiting, the government formally installed agricultural lands to 23 beneficiaries from Sumanga village and 11 recipients from Valencia village in Ormoc under the control of landlords from Larrazabal and Tan clans.

Around 300 residents and officials from Department of Agrarian Reform and Philippine National Police and advocacy groups witnessed the turnover on June 20.

A total of 35.56 hectares of the agricultural land owned by landlords in Leyte was distributed to farmer beneficiaries in 1996 through the awarding of the certificates of land ownership (CLOA).

However, farmers had been reportedly deprived of their rights to till the lands as the Potenciano and Aniceta Larrazabal Enterprise Corporation (PALEC) landholding continuously used the area for large-scale sugarcane farming.

The same thing went on for the 19.06 hectares of rice land previously owned by the Tan Landholdings – also a prominent family of Gerardo Tan in Valencia village.

"We feel reborn, we are better off and we know we now have enough resources to feed ourselves. We have land to live and grow food on," Silva said, a trained paralegal and leader of the Sumanga Farmers Association.

He worked as laborer to support his family. Sometimes, they ran out of food and had to borrow money to buy food. His children had to drop out of school to help their family earn money.

In the past two decades, there were 10 attempts to install the land to Sumanga and Valencia farmers, but it all failed due to resistance of landowners.

DAR was also reluctant to install the land for fear of violence.

Anthony Marzan, executive director of a non-government organization, KAISAHAN recalled that the June 2015 attempt failed due to the lack of police assistance, which is very important element of whole installation process.

The two recent installation attempts were on June 15-16, 2015 and Feb. 9-10, 2016.

Days prior to the most recent attempt of installation last Feb. 2016, Leyte Sheriff Joseph Catingub received a letter from the lawyers of Larrazabal and Tan landholdings stating about the case on erroneous coverage that is still pending at the DAR Adjudication Board (DARAB).

The letter further insists that the scheduled installation should be postponed due to the pending case.

As a result, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Renato Badilla recalled the writ of installation. In the PARO’s order, it was stated that the DAR finds it sound to resolve first the said issue to avoid bigger problems. An affidavit of third party claim was attached to the PARO’s order.

The incensed farmer beneficiaries, who are also trained paralegals, later filed a 13-page motion for reconsideration (MR) to DAR, asking PARO to review his decision. After a few days, Badilla recalled the PARO’s order.

A series of installation and security planning were held in the following months leading to the June 2016 installation. Many other planning issues came out during the said meetings that caused the installation schedule to be moved several times.

“It was an exhausting year for everyone especially to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), but these incidents did not dampen the spirit of our farmers in fighting for their land rights,” said Claire Demaisip, legal officer of KAISAHAN, who has been assisting the ARBs.

“In fact, the past year challenged and empowered our trained paralegals at the same time. We hope that the events here in Sumanga will finally end the oppression of the remaining uninstalled ARBs in Leyte.”

It’s a familiar story for every farmers in the region, where land disputes have disrupted the lives and livelihood of a lot of farmers. Many of those affected are poor farmers who grow their own food.

“Without land, they no longer have the means to provide themselves with the basic requirements for a decent life,” Marzan said.

Many land feuds in Leyte begin on paper but lead to physical fights. The worst end in death, according to Marzan.

Farmers often protest against forced evictions, but they typically fail when faced with police or soldiers, he added.

Silva said that securing a land title is the first step toward the freedom to farm and feed themselves.

“The document might not solve all their problems but that piece of paper is the starting point for a legal fight to keep their property. Without it, Pablo Silva and the rest of all other poor farmers in Leyte has no security and no hope of ever getting it,” Marzan said. (PNA)

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