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Monday, July 10, 2006
A one of a kind partnership
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
IMAGINE an haciendero (landowner) and his laborers in the farm. One would say the relationship between them is like heaven and earth.
But not in Hacienda Malaga-Cuenca, a land estate with more than 400 hectares owned by the Cuenca family in Barangay Robles in La Castellana town situated in the central portion of Negros Occidental, where there is an on-going partnership between the landowner and his farm workers. It is, perhaps, one of a kind.
Unknown to many for 10 years now, Bob Cuenca, a misconstrued man and ironically tagged as a "landlord" or "warlord" by some people who wanted to grab his land through land reforms, had made a binding agreement with his farm workers.
The agreement states that whatever amount is the total income of the hacienda at the end of every milling season, the laborers will have their more than one per cent share from the gross income on top of their daily wages and salaries, and among other benefits.
Such agreement is stipulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) officially drafted and approved in 1997 and is renewable every five years.
Cuenca's farm workers who are under the Malaga-Cuenca Independent Workers Union have organized the Malaga-Cuenca Multi-Purpose Cooperative. It has a share amounting to P948,000.
The latest figure in shares they have as of Friday last week amounted to P310,000.
This was contained under the profit-sharing condition that states that Bob's farm workers have one percent share from gross sales for crop years 2002-2004, 1.25 percent for crop years 2004-2006 and 1.5 percent for crop year 2006- 2007.
Also stated in the agreement was: each of Cuenca's farm worker can avail himself of the following economic benefits - five-day vacation leave with pay, five-day sick leave with pay, seven-day paternity leave with pay, retirement benefits with five days additional premium for every year for those who have worked for 20 years or more, burial assistance, hospitalization and medicine assistance, scholarship grants to farm workers' children from preschool to college, and the so-called profit sharing.
What surprised Cuenca was knowing that he has already sent to school 158 scholars - 18 of whom were in college, 48 in high school and 92 in the elementary.
In their testimonial speeches Friday before the distribution of shares held at the hacienda public plaza, Nieva Ogatis, a 3rd year college student at the La Consolacion College in La Carlota City said, "Reaching college is not a joke but with Nonoy Bob, I was able to go to college and I am now in my third year. I hope and pray that he will continue supporting us here at Malaga because education is vital for our future."
For Romelyn Madriña, her Nonoy Bob was instrumental in fulfilling her dream to attain a college degree.
Romelyn recently finished her BS Accountancy degree from LCC-La Carlota City.
For Ian Jed Mialen: "Being a scholar from elementary up to high school is something that I owe a lot. Thanks to Nonoy Bob."
Ian added, "Quality education means to us and Nonoy Bob is instrumental in this because without him we cannot get quality education that we aspire for."
Cuenca said he was touched with the scholars' move, saying, "I never thought of this. What I am expecting is only a testimonial for the CBA."
Cuenca confessed he was humbled after being praised by students.
"With all the words of gratitude I have heard from the students, I think I need to continue the fight for their rights for them not to be displaced by the wrong system in the implementation of the Carp," said Cuenca.
Cuenca and his hacienda have been subject to numerous "attacks" for 10 years now.
Cuenca said he is determined to pursue a court battle not to give up his land to some members of the Task Force Mapalad who wanted to claim parts of his hacienda.
With this, Cuenca has been tagged by some media entities as a "landlord" and "warlord".
He denied this, saying, "I want to give 114 hectares of my land to the Carp beneficiaries but sad to say, people from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) refused to sign an agreement to this intent.
Cuenca also clarified that he does not oppose Carp implementation, however, the beneficiaries who will occupy portion of his property should be his legitimate farm workers.
His stand earned a support from La Castellana Mayor Enrico Elumba.
Elumba said Cuenca is the top taxpayer in his town.
For Malaga-Cuenca alone, Elumba said Cuenca is paying their town an average of P490,000 annually. Thus, he fears that if Cuenca's hacienda would be divided among Carp beneficiaries, La Castellana will earn nothing from them.
The mayor also said if he were to be asked, he would recommend Cuenca's present agreement with his farm workers to other farm owners as it is worthy to be replicated by other haciendas in the province.
Aside from Elumba, no less than Carlos Boteros, Regional Chief of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Western Visayas, hailed Bob saying that what the latter has achieved is worthy of praise and emulation.
(July 10, 2006 issue)
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