THE “sacadas” are the transient workers in a sugarcane plantation in Negros Occidental. They are brought by the “contratistas” (contractors) in the province at the start of the milling season (middle of September). They work in different haciendas and go home during the off milling season (middle of March).
Most “sacadas” working in Negros Occidental haciendas are from Antique. That could be the reason why Governor Rhodora Cadiao of Antique has a cordial communication with Governor Bong Lacson. Both local government units will see to it that the “sacadas” in Negros Occidental are properly treated. There were allegations in the past that they encountered problems with the hacienderos.
These transitory workers are also rice farmers in Antique but their farm lots are too small that their crops could not support their families. Some of them have brothers and sisters in school who are their dependents. Their little savings at the end of the milling season could be used by their parents to buy piglets to be fattened and to be sold later to augment the family income.
Leaving their families in Antique could be painful. The “contratista” would leave a certain amount to their parents or pregnant wives as “anticipo” (advance payment). Here in Negros, the “sacadas” have to stay like sardines in a can in their “cuartel” (workers’ barracks). Usually, the complex is made of bamboo, coco lumber, plywood, nipa and galvanized iron.
They have a common kitchen where they cook in cauldrons or big steel pots, long table in the eating area, common water pump as a source of their drinking water and also for washing their clothes, and sometimes the toilet is just the open field and the leaves of sugarcane are used as a substitute for tissue paper.
Good hacienderos pay the minimum wage based on the tariff of the Department of Labor and Employment. The work is still based on the “pakyaw” rate (more work, better salary). It could be cane cutting or cane hauling from the ground up to the box of the cargo truck. One regular cargo truck if fully loaded could be 10 to 12 tons at the weighing scale.
The food supply like rice, sugar, canned sardines, coffee, fish, bread and other basic needs are provided by the contractor based on eat-now, pay later scheme. Payment is done during salary day, 15th and 30th of the month. If the supplies do not come on time, these workers have no choice but to open a credit line with the nearby “tiangue” (sari-sari store).
“Sacadas” do not receive the actual amount from the hacienderos because the contractor has to make a cut first. One bad thing could happen if the haciendero could not withdraw money from the bank on time. The “sacadas” have to wait for another week. There were instances in the past that the hungry “sacadas” burned intentionally the sugarcane fields.
If the workers are in dire need of cash, they borrow money from the contractor on a “five-six” system or even higher interest. Usually, the money is sent to Antique because the parents are sick, the pregnant wife has her due date, or the nearest relative died. If the worker concerned could not pay the contractor, he would disappear and that would create another big problem that sometimes would end in a brutal solution.
When I was still the tourism officer of Silay, Governor Rhodora Cadiao invited me to join her in meeting the “sacadas.” The gathering was in front of their “cuartel.” The good governor reminded them that work in Negros is hard. They have to save money for the repair of their houses or start a small family business when they go back to Antique.
The governor mentioned that many “sacadas” spent their money unwisely on gambling tables, cockfights, and drinking spree. “You go to Negros without money, you go back to Antique with empty pockets.” After her inspiring message, the governor like a good mother would distribute packs of assorted goods to each worker. Negros needs the “sacadas” because the regular hacienda workers are getting old and their children do not want to work in the sugarcane fields.
I personally know that “sacada” life is hard because my grandparents and parents were “sacadas.” I was born and I grew up in the “sacada cuartel.” I worked my way up as a sugarcane worker until I graduated from college. I am a proud “sacada.” Negros sugar industry will suffer without us.