First, they destroyed the fence that separates the property from the land they earlier acquired from the late businessman Salvador Carlos.
It was as if they are making up for the lost time. The farmers worked hard. They roused early before the sun broke out in the eastern mountains of Sumilao.
In groups, the farmers tilled and planted. They first work on a path that would give them easy access from the land to the freedom hall, their meeting place, which they also used as solar dryer for their corn and other crops.
The exodus of the Sumilao farmers ended when they entered Sunday the 50-hectare land of SMC for the first time after struggling for more than 12 years to own it.
The farmers, who had waged a struggle to reclaim the land since the 90s, struck a deal with SMC that got them the property.
Lawyer Arlene Bag-ao, the farmers' legal counsel, said they knew they already won when Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales threw his support to them.
"His (Rosales) statements were like orders. Every government agency became nicer to the farmers," Bag-ao said.
Others also pointed out that the success of the Sumilao farmers was due to the intercession of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is fighting to clean a tarnished image.
"Everything falls in favor of the farmers. We were really lucky.
At the start of their walk from Sumilao to Malacañang, Bag-ao said they never dreamed they could get a considerable concession from SMC. She said they thought the food and beverage firm would only give the farmers two hectares as token.
But SMC, smarting from a bad publicity because of their campaign, changed their mind, Bag-ao said.
"Even if we get only two hectares, it was just fine with us. We were more contented at exposing the irregularities being committed to protect the interests of a few over the land," she said.
Bag-ao said SMC was a "more formidable foe" than the previous landowner, Norberto Quisumbing, because the firm's Chairman of the Board was Danding Cojuangco, who has considerable business and political clout.
She said informal discussion between SMC president Ramon Ang, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo and Secretary Conrado Limcaoco started last December 28, 2007.
Bag-ao said after the meeting took place, they "felt" SMC was trying to bring the issue into a prolonged legal fight.
She said the farmers decided to march again on March 4 to speed things up. The farmers also decided they will not go home without the 144 hectares.
A week after they arrived in Manila and after days of marching around the capital, Bag-ao said 36 of the farmers have gotten sick.
She added that SMC asked to meet them and formal negotiations started last March 14. With approval from Rosales, the farmers and SMC set the negotiations for two weeks to thresh out the issues.
Bag-ao said SMC made their final offer of 50 hectares more than a week ago.
"It caught me by surprise. I clapped my hands upon hearing it," she said.
The biggest loser in the Sumilao case is SMC, Asia's biggest food and beverage firm.
Bag-ao said the firm has to re-evaluate the development plan of their hog farm. Initially, SMC said the firm needs the entire 144 hectares claimed by the farmers for its piggery project.
But SMC, Bag-ao said, is already reeling from bad publicity.
"It proved to be its soft spot, which provided a fertile ground for the historic compromise deal," Bag-ao said.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by both parties said SMC would donate 50 hectares of the 144-hectare property claimed by the farmers, retaining 94 hectares, which the firm had developed into a hog farm.
SMC will replace it by buying 94 hectares from adjoining land in San Vicente, mostly those owned by former Sumilao town Mayor Rey Baula.
Bag-ao said they have identified and accepted 63 hectares of the list of properties that SMC have proposed to buy for the farmers.
She said SMC will buy the land from Baula and offer it to DAR under the Voluntary Offer to Sale (VOS), which the farmers will have to pay under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).
