Coles, John Mark F.

4CA4

2/27/2013

Reaction Paper to the documentary Sa Ngalan ng Tubo This is the first time that I watched a documentary about the famous Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac and it definitely was an eye-opener for me and for the whole class. The documentary shed little information about the land but instead it highlighted the lives of the farmers working there and how they are fighting for their rights. For almost 60 years the Cojuangco family has owned the 6,435 hectare sugar plantation estate located at the province of Tarlac. It was given to them in the 1950s through a loan from the Government Service Insurance System and since then the Cojuangco family became the majority owner of the land. 1988 saw the government passing the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program interestingly enough by a member of the influential clan, former President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino who became president after the EDSA Revolution of 1986. Because of the said program nearly 5000 hectares were placed under a stock distribution agreement between the landowners and the farm workers thus making them owners of stocks of the land. Even though the farmers were given stocks they still werent satisfied with the working conditions and particularly with the salary that they earned. In November 6, 2004 a day infamously known as The Hacienda Luisita Massacre took place. Twelve farmers and two children were killed and hundreds were injured when police and soldiers stopped a demonstration by the farmers. They were pushing for fairer wages, increased work benefits, and a greater commitment for national land reform.

I laud how the production team accurately depicted the lives of the farmers and what happened on the massacre. Together with the tearjerker music and images of workers it greatly adds impact to its viewers. It makes one wonder how people go to great lengths just to defend what they think is right but no one has the power and authority to take away a persons right to labor and life. The farm workers were simply fighting for their rights because of unjust working conditions at the hacienda which wasnt their fault but the owners. The Cojuangcos should have had set up a discussion between them and the farmers to resolve the conflict just like what any good businessman would do when his company is in jeopardy from the inside. The Cojuangcos didnt act like that and it resulted into casualties. The land owners failed to put themselves in the shoes of their farmers. I believe that in order to stop further conflict from happening again the Cojuangcos must open their eyes and ears to their farmers and listen to what they are saying. Communication is an important factor in this and both parties must discuss among themselves on how to equally benefit from each other in order to stop further bloodshed.