'Distribution of Luisita land holds the future of millions of poor Filipinos'—urban poor group

PRESS RELEASE (05 DEC 2011)
KALIPUNAN NG DAMAYANG MAHIHIRAP
REFERENCE: Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national sec-gen (09213927457)

QUEZON CITY, Philippines—It may be a relief for the farmers of Hacienda Luisita who have endured so much to take back the lands that the Cojuangco family allegedly had corrupted from their generation.

But after the Supreme Court has ruled unanimously to expedite the distribution of Luisita land to the farmers, the future of millions of poor Filipino families, whose majority comes from landless peasant origin is shed with some light, according to an urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay).

As majority of the urban poor coming from different provinces migrated to cities in search for livelihood and jobs with the lack of opportunities in the countryside, Kadamay says, the urgent distribution of the Luisita land would give hope to every urban poor as it opens the door to distribution of other lands owned by the few landlord families who are ruling the country.

Kadamay refers to the highly disproportionate ownership of lands to the Filipinos as the root of the chronic crisis that has burdened generations of farmers and urban poor. “Every government has turned blind to feudalism as the root cause of poverty, and has turned down every opportunity for a genuine agrarian reform,” says Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national secretary-general.

According to Kadamay, “feudalism has its roots deep into the economic and the socio-political life of every Filipino. It is maintained by the interest of the big local compradors and the imperialist to further exhaust the human and natural resources of the country.”

The decision of the Supreme Court to immediately distribute the land of Luisita to the farmers is no less historical that the Spanish or the American occupation, according to Arellano. “If the land distribution be implemented, it would start the end of the feudal system that has stolen the lives of the past and future Filipino generations,” she says.

“It would ultimately give back the power to the landless farmers who comprise 75% of the population, and may serve as an impetus for the revival of the rule of the oppressed majority,” Arellano adds.

For Kadamay, it is a genuine opportunity for the Aquino administration to fully implement the decision of the Supreme Court, and for Aquino to turn his back to his landlord past to be in service to the majority of his poor constituents.

“Many Filipinos will certainly be watching the unfolding of events surrounding Luisita,” Arellano ends. ###