KMP commemorates Peasant Month

FARMERS group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) is commemorating Peasant Month this October by denouncing the government's worsening economic policies affecting the agriculture workforce of the region.

Michael Pineda, KMP council member, said hunger and political persecution have intensified against the farmers, pointing out that the economic condition of the country is felt heavily in our region, which had been considered the food basket of Mindanao, and thus home to several peasant communities.

The group noted that there might be a P27 increase on the minimum wage, raising the minimum wage of agricultural workers from P304 to P331 in category IV areas, but Pineda said this is “only piecemeal compared to the increase of basic goods and services due to the fast rising inflation rates”.

Also, numerous cases of harassment, trumped-up charges, illegal arrests and forced/fake surrender have been recorded and documented in the region and the rest of Mindanao, like the arrests of Jerry Basahon the provincial chairperson of Misamis Oriental Farmers Association and Merlita Durado the provincial coordinator of Gabriela in Misamis Oriental.

“Militarization of peasant communities in the region also heightened during Martial Law. Troops from the 88th IB have set up detachments in Buffalo-Tamarraw-Limus (BTL) community in Maramag, Bukidnon.

The experience of the farmers in Laguindingan is the same. They were forced off their lands by the giant corporation of the Ayalas. Military and armed personnel of the state have constantly monitored their community whose only dream is to go back to the land that has been sustaining them,” the group added.

According to the farmers group, there are five victims of extrajudicial killings, five victims of frustrated extrajudicial killings, 78 victims of trumped-up charges, 720 fake and forced surrender, 89 illegal arrest and detention and 465 victims of threat harassment and intimidation since the martial law declaration.

Pineda said they remain unfazed with these attacks and will continue to assert the rights of the farmers.

“Despite the continuing and intensified attacks, the peasants and the rest of the Filipino nation will not cower. As the economic crisis continues, more people will rise to fight,” he said.