Int’l mission urges gov’t to stop land-use conversion in Hacienda Looc
“We used to call Hacienda Looc a paradise, with its fertile soil and rich marine resources. The outsiders came and saw its beauty and our problems began.” – Isabelo Cailaya, fisherfolk leader.By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Delegates of an international solidarity mission called on the government to stop the biggest real estate developers from wreaking havoc on the lives of farmers and fisherfolk of Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas.
In an eight-page executive summary submitted to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), members of the mission asserted that “land use conversions and large scale tourism projects resulted to landlessness and food insecurity.”
The mission, composed of delegates from the United Church of Canada, Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (Agra – Indonesia), research students from Japan and Belgium, the Malaysia-based Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific, Asian Peasant Coalition, Kasama-TK, Samahang Magsasaka sa Batangas, Farmers Development Center (Fardec), Ibon International, Promotion for Church People’s Response and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, was held February 11 to 15.
In its report, the mission stated that “the biggest real estate developers in the country, in collusion with various government agencies, have made their landgrabbing activities appear legal and legitimate.”
“Government policies, including bogus agrarian reform programs like the Presidential Decree 27 and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), have denied Hacienda Looc farmers of their rights to the land,” Willy Marbella, KMP deputy secretary general, said. In fact, according to Marbella, “real estate developers, using the CARP itself, managed to exempt Hacienda Looc from agrarian reform.”.... MORE
Source: Bulatlat.com
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/02/17/intl-mission-urges-govt-to-stop-land-use-conversion-in-hacienda-looc/
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