MORE than a week before the 30th anniversary of Mendiola Massacre on Jan. 22, a militant lawmaker on Friday pushed for the signing of the draft executive order on the two-year moratorium against land conversion of agricultural lands proposed by the Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano.
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said the signing of the EO had long been overdue, saying it was vocally approved by President Rodrigo Duterte during its Presidential Agrarian Reform Council meeting in September last year.
But he noted this was opposed by National Economic and Development Authority Director-General Ernesto Pernia and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.
It is clear that in the eyes of the economic managers within the Duterte Cabinet, development relies from foreign interference such as investments and conversion projects, rather than genuine land reform and rural development [which] are keys to industrialization and development, Casilao said.
Casilao said these so-called managers who actually champion neo-liberalism in the country were of the same viewpoint and approach of past administrations, especially the Aquino administration.
They would rather protect the interest of big foreign and local businesses than uphold the rights to land and livelihood of majority of Filipinos, who are the farming sector, he said.
Mariano said the draft EO covered agricultural lands awarded under Republic Act No. 6657 as amended, Presidential Decree or PD No. 27 and other agrarian reform laws, as well as agricultural lands with Notices of Coverage issued by the DAR, irrigated and irrigable lands, prime agricultural lands, retention areas of the land owners which are tenanted, and agricultural lands with presence of agricultural activities or being cultivated by the farmers individually or collectively.
While the aims of the proposed moratorium is crystal clear to protect the rights of farmers and secure food security in the country and agricultural production for the requirements of the local economy, for the benefit of tens of millions of Filipinos—the neo-liberal Cabinet members are hell-bent in targeting agricultural lands to be converted all in the name of profit for a few foreign and local monopoly businesses, Casilao said.
Casilao also reminded President Duterte of his commitment to rural development during the Presidential Challenge held at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City in February last year, organized by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, then led by its National Chairperson Mariano. During the activity, then Mayor Duterte lambasted the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program as farce and promised adequate support to farmers, alongside distribution of lands.
How would the president fulfill his promise of rural development if agricultural lands are not protected from conversion? On this issue, the neo-liberal Cabinet members are actually undermining the president's commitment to sincerely serve the interest of poor Filipinos, Casilao questioned.
Casilao dared President Duterte to do away with traditional politics or the pronouncement of Budget Secretary Diokno that candidate Duterte is different from President Duterte and sincerely heed the legitimate demands of the people for genuine agrarian reform and rural development.
We urge the President to recollect that he was catapulted to his post by poor Filipinos not by the neo-liberalists. The poor who were neglected by former President Aquino, through his hostility to agrarian reform and promotion of similar neo-liberal policies being championed by some of his Cabinet members, Casilao said.