This year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) might have been an unfamiliar fire with the absence of burning effigies and anti-administration rallies but the struggle for genuine change still blazes as brightly.
Around 30,000 people from various sectoral groups marched to Batasan Complex for President Rodrigo Duterte’s first SONA, braving the shifts from sporadic rainfall to unforgiving heat to come together as one for what they call the SONA ng Bayan.
The SONA ng Bayan serves as an avenue for various sectors to forward their campaigns and advocacies both to the public and to the government.
With both the demonstrators and the police agreeing to peace, the calm between two opposite forces is perceived as a promise of change for the next six years of Duterte’s presidency.
For the people, hope reigns stronger than ever
March of the landless
Bicol native Artemio Sanchez is just as hopeful as everyone else.
Together with around 3,500 farmers from the Bicol region, he arrived at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus on Saturday night. Despite the bad weather, they were welcomed by students who stayed to meet them and to hear their stories.
Coming all the way from Pili, Camarines Sur, the 48-year-old farmer decided to come to Metro Manila together with his organization, Damayan nin mga Parauma sa Camarines Sur (DAMPA-CS), to fight for their land ownership rights.
Their 550-hectare farmlands are targeted as a site for the runway reorientation and redevelopment of the Naga City Airport. If the project pushes through, around 150 families will be affected in their community.
According to Sanchez, the former local government of Pili was supportive of the project, even without consulting them. Sanchez also said the authorities came as far as buying their land to properly obtain them.
“Pinadalhan na kami ng sulat, bibilhin daw yung lupain namin ng 8.85 pesos kada square meter,” he said.
With the threat of having no land to till and cultivate, Sanchez and the other farmers chose to join the SONA ng Bayan as a way to raise awareness on their plight.
“Sa aking naririnig, yung budget para sa airport ay andiyan na,” he said. “Sa ngayon, ‘di pa naman nagsisimula dahil ito nga, pinaglalaban namin.”
While they fear the future of their livelihood, he strongly believes that Duterte’s presidency will provide the solution to their problem.
Fighting for GARB
For Alex Castidades, a farmer and member of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) – Sorsogon, the implementation of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) would help the cause of their sector.
“Ito ay isang paraan para magkaroon ng puwang ang mga maliliit na magsasaka sa ating bansa na magkaroon ng sariling pag-aari,” he said.
The Duterte administration’s pronouncements on the issue of land reforms has been positive so far, according to former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares.
“In fact, meron siyang posisyon na i-distribute yung mga government land sa peasants, and that’s a major deal,” Colmenares said.
While Duterte failed to address the said issue in his SONA, he mentioned projects in line with the modernization of agriculture.
Colmenares, together with other multi-sectoral groups, also called for the passage of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB). Under the proposed law, landless farmers will receive agricultural lands for free.
The 15-point People’s Agenda crafted during the 2016 National People’s Summit also pushes for the implementation of GARB. If passed in Congress, farmers like Sanchez and Castidades would not have to worry about their livelihood.
For Colmenares, the appointment of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Rafael “Paeng” Mariano is a good sign of Duterte’s willingness to work with progressive groups.
“We hope that the president has the intention of pushing the agrarian reform program farther [sic] than the other agrarian reform programs of the previous administration,” he said.
Under Mariano’s leadership, DAR has issued a status quo order in Hacienda Luisita, meaning farmers cannot be displaced by the military or the Cojuangco family, owner of the disputed land.
Hacienda Luisita farmers have long struggled for land ownership, being met with violence for their resistance over the years.
In a protest-dialogue with the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) last July 8, DAR promised to resolve Hacienda Luisita land disputes in 30 days.
For Colmenares, the government should expedite the process, stating that a decision has already been made in favor of the farmers.
“Any day na dine-delay yan is injustice,” he said. “Legally, politically, and morally, sa mga magsasaka ang mga lupang yan.
Sectors positive but vigilant
Despite the new leadership’s promise of change, rallies and protests serve as a reminder to the public to be vigilant of the administration, according to UP Diliman’s University Student Council chairperson Bryle Leaño.
“Hindi dapat tayo maging kampante na si Duterte na ang magbibigay sa atin ng pagbabago,” he said. “Dapat palakasin pa natin at ipagpatuloy ang mga ganitong klaseng pagkilos.”
He challenged the administration to properly address the roots of poverty, in relation to the issues of drugs and criminality.
“Gusto nating sabihin na una, hindi natin directly sinasabi na siya yung nagpapatay sa mga tao,” he said. “Gusto natin siyang hamunin na tugisin niya ang malalaking pangalan sa drug industry, hindi yung maliliit na mga Pilipino.”
Meanwhile, he commended the smooth-flowing SONA ng Bayan which recorded no incidents of hostility between the demonstrators and the police.
“Isang magandang indikasyon ito sa bukas na pakikipag-usap ng Duterte admin sa mamamayang Pilipino,” he said.
Even with the newfound peace found in Batasan Complex and the seemingly open stance of Duterte on the people’s issues this year, the people’s struggle to extinguish the proverbial fire which torments them goes on.
Even with the amibitious promises of the new administration, farmers like Sanchez and Castidades still have to wait until they get what is deservingly theirs.
Genuine change is still far from reach. – With reports from Shernielyn Dela Cruz
