FARMERS from all over Mindanao who joined the Hugpong sa Kalinaw in support of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army (CNN) will stay one more day just to watch the inauguration of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte at the Rizal Park.
Romeo Moral one of the farmers who has stayed at the "kampuhan" at Rizal Park for three days now said that they went here from their different areas to show support to the President-elect and also to express the concerns afflicting their locality.
“Maminaw kami ug unsa ang pamation namo ang iyang mga programa para sa mag-uuma. Sukad na sukad wala pa siya’y programa na dili suportado ang mga-uuma sa tibuok Pilipinas. Nagalaum mi na palambuon Pilipino (We will listen to the programs he will have for the farmers. Ever since he has not mentioned any program that does not benefit and support farmers. We are hoping that he will improve the lives of the Filipinos),” he said.
He said that farmers come all the way from Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Davao del Sur and they are all ready to hear his speech.
“We will watch either on the TV or radio any way possible,” he said in vernacular.
Abas Simloy, also among the crowd, said that they want to reiterate their support to the president.
Meanwhile, Tony Lawian also said that their main concern he wants the president to address is the issue of ancestral domain.
“Sa bukid tungod sa ancestral domain pirmi gubot kana ang hinungdan nganong dili ka-uma ug maayo kay mahadlok mi.. Dapat walay gubot (In the mountains, because of the ancestral domain issues, groups are fighting each other. It is the reason we can’t farm because we are afraid. There should be no war),” Lawian said.
Lawian said that his crops include banana, coconut, and rice. The group of around 8,000 farmers staying at Rizal Park and Almendras Gym are part of the delegates organized different activists groups Tuesday in support of the GRP-NDF peace talks.