This is not really about me, but about the people I meet, the places I visit and the stories I want to share.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Sumilao and San Miguel

144 hectares of land. 55 farmers. 1 700 kilometer-walk. 75 days.

The farmers of Sumilao, Bukidnon fighting for their ancestral land have gone a long way. They may be back in Bukidnon but their fight isn’t over yet.

When I marched with them in Agusan del Sur, I honestly thought it was a hopeless case. I mean, how can you win against a corporate giant under a presidency which is undoubtedly indebted not only to the military but to big businesses?

But the farmers’ sheer determination spelled the difference. The farmers started their march in October 10 last year with a few churches and non-government organizations supporting them. But throughout their march, they have gathered enough strength, from ordinary people in the countryside wishing them well to the Roman Catholic hierarchy with no less than Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales joining their cause.

The Cardinal said it all: “Kung mga tunay na Kristiyano ang mga taga-San Miguel, ibibigay na nila ang lupa. Yan ay kung tunay silang mga Kristiyano.” Maybe they should also be reminded that their company was named after a saint. But this is not to say that their fight doesn’t have any chance in court, it’s just that the legal processes may take years and it would have been better if the company gave up their claim to the land.

Well, it still remains to be seen if San Miguel people are true Christians. Or to be politically correct, even if they were Muslims, Jews, or simply put, if they believe in God and social justice, it wouldn’t be too tough a decision for them.

(Photo taken at the College of the Holy Spirit Chapel where the farmers stayed for two nights while they were in Manila)

7 Comments:

Blogger Deaconess Rhiza said...

happy new year po!
wala sanang mga mahihirap kung pantay-pantay lamang ang distribution ng mga ari-arian. Sana magaya natin ang mga naunang kristiyano na hindi nila itinuturing na kanila lamang ang kanilang mga ari-arian kundi ipinagbibili nila ang mga ito at ibinibigay sa mga alagad at pantay-pantay na ipinamamahagi sa lahat ng mga mananampalataya..

mas pagpalain nawa kayo ni Yahweh sa taong ito!

4:33 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Adrian.

I salute these farmers.

I'm also glad that Cardinal Rosales joined them. I think it made a big difference.

Cool blog, Adrian!

8:49 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sagot sa panawagan ni Arsobispo Rosales:

Mahal kong Arsobispo Rosales,

Nakakalungkot pong isipin na ang isang kumpanya na namumuhunan, nagbibigay ng trabaho,nagbabayad ng buwis, nakakatulong pa pag unlad ng bansa, nagbibigay ng kabuhayan sa libo-libong tao ay sasabihan ng isang institusyon na hindi nagbabayad ng buwis, malawak ang lupain, naniningil ng mataas ng matrikula, nagpapabayad sa pagpapabasbas, hindi nakapagbibigay ng trabaho sa libo libong tao na magpaka-Kristiyano.

Sa aking pong palagay, hindi naman tama sa isang pari na magbigay ng palagay o tanungin ang pagka-kristyano ng isang tao o institusyon.

Sa tahasang pagpanig ng Simbahan sa usaping Sumilao, nangangamba po ako na baka dumatin na ang panahon na ang mahal na arsobispo ay matulad sa nga Ayatollahs ng Iran kung saan sila na ang namumuno hindi lamang sa usaping spiritwal pati na rin temporal.

10:57 AM

 
Blogger Ding said...

paumanhin kung medyo malayo sa usapin ang aking post.

ako po'y isang freelancer na kartunista. at kasalukuyan akong inde-publisher ng nag-iisa at kauna-unahang indie mag sa mundo na gumagmit ng editorial cartoons, comic strip at komiks sa pagtalakay ng pinakamaiinit na usaping pumuputok sa ating lipunan.

inaanyayahan ko ho kayong mag-subscribe sa aking Collector's Promo, kung saan ibinebenta ko sa halagang P700 ang 8 isyu ng Editoril CARTOONS ATBP Mag kasama ang Brgy RP Komix #2. Ako na rin ho bahala sa gastos sa pagpapadala sa inyo ng mga mag.

Naka-order na po nito si Bb. Avie Olarte kaya, mas maganda siguro, lalo na kung magkakilala naman kayo, na verify kayo sa kanya hinggil sa mensaheng ito. :)

Maraming salamat ho at mabuhay kayo!

Ding
indie publisher
Editorial CARTOONS ATBP Mag
at Brgy RP Komix
www.indieprint.blogspotcom
-------------------

Titles:
1. M/T Solar 1 Oil Spill CARTOONS ATBP
2. Charter Change CARTOONS ATBP
3. New Year CARTOONS ATBP
4. Terror CARTOONS ATBP
5. Senatoriable CARTOONS
6. Education CARTOONS
7. Climate Change Editorial CARTOONS
8. The PEN Siege Editorial CARTOONS

Here's the link to UCANews story about our Komix and the Editorial CARTOONS (The one being described at the lead paragraph is the cover of the 7th issue of the Mag)

http://www.ucanews.com/html/ucan/f_dishpatch.asp?title=%20%20Church%20Turns%20To%20Comics%20To%20Teach%20Catholic%20Social%20Concerns&ucalang=English_../news_report/english/2008/01/w3/thu/PV04247Rg.txt

3:41 PM

 
Blogger Robby Cruz said...

Hey Kuya Adrian, Nasa Kape Tasyo rin po ako. Binalita po ba yun. Di po kasi ako nakanood.

9:05 PM

 
Blogger P O R S C H E said...

napanood ko ito sa the correspondents kung hindi ako nagkakamali.

2:05 PM

 
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