Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Reflection Paper
Does justice cease to matter
when legal rights
and human rights
appear at the same
time? What is
really the definition
of justice for
Cojuangcos and for
the farmers?
I have grounded
on the idea that this paper can really help in addressing the issue of owning no
land and poverty among our Filipino farmers. This reflection paper of mine
mainly talks about those valiant and brave farmers, who are considered our
country’s top food producers. They have been the victims of various forms of
injustice by the society, and with that, the most and bravest thing that they could
do is to struggle for the acknowledgement of their privileges as recipient and
beneficiaries of agrarian reform programs by the Philippine government.
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
the 37-min
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
Needless to say, Hacienda Luisita controversy became a symbolic
representation and has been an ordeal and severe test for the agrarian reform in
the Philippines regarding the issue of land rights between the concern farmers
and the Cojuangcos. It has been a bitter and unbearable struggle for our farmers
as they go on their journey for their right to own a piece of land which represents
the fight for the rights of the Filipino farmers in relation to issues of land
ownership and distribution.
Questions and
Answers
1. What do you understand by land reforms? Agrarian reforms?
Land Reform is
the relations of
farmers to the
land they work
upon. It also
seeks to bring
about changes in
which land is
owned,cultivation
methods and
relationships of
agriculture with
economy. Its
purposes are for
the means of production, sources of status symbol, social and political
influence and source of wealth and value. Land reforms also involves the
redistribution of land by taking away land from the rich and powerful people
and giving it to the poor and landless farmers.
On the other hand, Agrarian Reform includes land reform as well as changes
in farm operations, rural credit, training of farmers, marketing of products and
implementation of the latest technology to enhance the productivity of
farmers. Agrarian reform is a broader term. Along with land reforms it also
includes measures to modernize the agricultural practices and improving the
living conditions of entire agrarian population. It also covers the
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
establishment of co-operatives; development of institutions to provide
Land Reform
Agrarian Reform
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
2. How the said event really affects the lives of the Filipinos particularly
in the part of agrarians?
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
3. What is the relevance of the said massacre and how is it affects to the
different aspects of society ?( Education, Politics, and Economy)
Education.
Juancho Sanchez were one of the seven farmers
who risk their lives and
died fighting for their
rights. He died at the age
of 20, not fulfilling his
dream of becoming a
mechanical engineer. He
was already on his third
year at the Tarlac State
University when he was
forced to stop schooling to
help augment the family’s
income. The massacre
became a hindrance in not
fulfilling those young and old
farmers to continue going to school and have a formal education. They tend
to wait for the promised land and if they will be able to received those, Pastor
Gabby Sanchez, father of Juancho Sanchez said that his son can continue
going to college for his better future and to be able to help them in their daily
living. Unfortunately, his son died because of Hacienda Luisita massacre.
Juancho Sanchez is one of the example that this massacre ruined not only
his life, but also the life of other farmers and workers who can gradually
return to school to learn after receiving their justice. They are now still
fighting for their justice.
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
reform on Luisita since then reached a bloody head in 2004 when seven
protesters were killed near the gate of the sugar mill in what is now known as
the Hacienda Luisita massacre. This is the story of the hacienda and its
farmers, an issue that is likely to haunt Aquino as he travels the campaign
trail for the May 2010 elections.
Noynoy Cojuangco Aquino has said he only owns 1% of Hacienda Luisita.
Why is he being dragged into the hacienda’s issues? This is one of the most
common questions asked in the 2010 elections. Aquino promised the
Philippine people a fairer share of the ownership and benefits of the land.
She pledged specifically to use her family estate, the Hacienda Luisita, as a
model for land reform throughout the Philippines.
The government eventually found that the Cojuangcos had violated the
agreement by failing to share profits with the farmers and ordered that the
land be distributed, said Mr. Pangandaman of the agrarian reform
department. Mr. Cojuangco said the ruling was a politically motivated attack
against his family. They even said that their family company treated the
workers well, providing health care, homes for some, interest-free loans and
a guaranteed minimum wage but the farmers according to the
documentary ,said and provide evidences that they are only receiving 194.50
pesos as their salary which is actually below minimum wage during their
times. That money was allocated for their deductions and debts, and only
9.50 pesos will be the remaining money for their survival.
Economy.
The Filipino people’s economic, social and cultural rights are similarl
violated. The government of Defendant
(President Benigno S. Aquino III) presides
over the highest number of unemployed and underemployed
Filipinos in the country’s history during their time. On
the other hand, in the positive side,
agrarian reform should not only a pathway
out of rural poverty but is extremely
beneficial to the Philippine economy and the
business sector but Hacienda Luisita
Massacre is a different case wherein a lot
of farmers were not receiving proper wage
and can lead to unemployment which has
an impact to the country’e economy.
Hacienda Luisita has a long list of worker
related abuses, including a massacre in 2004 that killed twelve workers and
injured hundreds more, as they picketed for better working conditions. There
should be stoppage on evading labour laws and started treating workers
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
properly. Everyone deserves a fair wage for their labour. Many workers on this
plantation were promised higher wages that never materialized.Hacienda Luisita
massacre takes advantage of the high unemployment and poverty and tricks
people into slave labour conditions. This must end. With enough global pressure,
we could see real change for these farmers.
Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
\\
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph