Groups want land rent moratorium on 21 flood-affected provinces By Charlie V. Manalo 01/11/2011

Groups want land rent moratorium on 21 flood-affected provinces

By Charlie V. Manalo 01/11/2011

Four of the biggest rural-based groups which include the militant farmer group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the peasant women federation Amihan and the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) yesterday called on President Aquino to impose moratorium on payment of land rent of farms damaged by heavy rains and flooding in 21 provinces in the regions of Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Bicol and five more regions all over the country.

KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos urged President Aquino to issue an executive order compelling landlords to refrain from collecting land rent in disaster ravaged areas affected by continuous massive flooding and landslides since December 2010 in at least 1,073 farming villages in eight regions, majority of those affected came from Caraga, Eastern Visayas and Bicol regions.

Ramos said landlords extraction of land rent from poor farmers usually ranges from 50 to 70 percent of the farmers produce which the KMP leader described as extremely exploitative and feudal slavery of the highest order..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110111nat1.html