IN LIGHT of the expiration of the land acquisition and distribution component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper) Law on June 30, the Ateneans for Agrarian Reform Movement (Afarm), in cooperation with the Sanggunian, held a prayer vigil and candle lighting ceremony on the said date.

Signed in 2009, Carper oversees the implementation of agrarian reform in the country. It is the five-year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which was signed in 1986.

The prayer vigil was conducted at the Science Education Complex (SEC) field, while the candle lighting ceremony was held in front of Gate 2.5.

According to the official Facebook event page of the vigil, the occasion aims to remind the people of the decades-long struggle of farmers with regard to land distribution and agrarian reform in the country.

“Muli nating alalahanin ang mga magsasakang lider na nasawi para ipaglaban ang reporma sa lupa. Ipanalangin at samahan nating ibalik ang pag-asang minsan nang nawala sa ating magsasaka. (Let us remember the farmer-leaders that have died fighting for land reform. Let us pray and together, let us bring back the hope that has sometimes left our farmers),” the official Facebook event page said.

For the farmers

Students, teachers and organizations in the Ateneo were present during the event. Farmer-leaders representing their various provinces, and spokespeople from a number of non-government organizations (NGO) were also in attendance.

During the program, solidarity messages were given by spokespeople from different farmer organizations that were present.

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bondoc Peninsula representative Maribel Luzara was adamant in the fight for acquiring land for farmers who need it.

“Sa ganitong pakikipaglaban, alam namin kung saan kami patutungo at [alam namin ang] anumang hirap o mga karanasan namin sa pakikipaglaban sa aming mga sinasakang lupa (In this fight, we know where we are going, and we know whatever hardship we must go through in the fight for our farmer’s land),” she said.

She added, “Ito po ay aming ipaglalaban hanggang sa makamit namin yung aming mga mimithi (This is something we will fight for until we get what we want).”

Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka Secretary-General Nestor Diego stressed the importance of making sure that unassigned lands are eventually given to farmers who are in need.

“Ang repormang agraryo ay napakahalaga dahil ito ay buhay ng mga magbubukid at ng magsasaka (Agrarian reform is very valuable because this is the life of farmers and farmworkers.),” he said

He added, “Kung walang lupa, paano [namin] mapagaaral [ang aming mga anak, at] paano naming mapakakain ang aming mga pamilya (If there is no land, how will we send our children to school, and how will we feed our families)?”

The Ateneo Enterteynment para sa Tao, Bayan, Lansangan, at Diyos then held a street theater performance, which depicted a farmer’s hope that an extension to the land acquisition and distribution component of Carper law was still feasible, despite the struggle of farmers during the law’s existence.

Afarm Chair Ace Dela Cruz then read out the youth manifesto of Afarm, which calls for faster action from President Benigno Aquino III on passing a law that will continue the land acquisition and distribution component of Carper, even beyond the deadline.

Should the legislative body fail to pass the law, the manifesto also includes a request for Aquino to issue an Executive Order (EO) that will allow the distribution of Notices of Coverage (NOC) after June 30.

In an interview with The GUIDON, Dela Cruz explained that an EO from Aquino would allow the bill to bypass legislation and go straight to implementation.

The land acquisition and distribution component of Carper allowed the dissemination of NOCs, which ensure that land would be distributed to farmers. As of February this year, 206,000 hectares of land have yet to be issued NOCs.

Next, 26 balloons were released in commemoration of the 26 years of Carper.

According to Dela Cruz, “Sinisimbolo po ng [mga] lobo na ito ang ating pag-asa na kaya pa po natin itaas ang antas ng ating pakibaka ([These] balloons here symbolize our hope that we can raise the level of our fight).”

He added that releasing the balloons does not mean that the farmers and their supporters are losing hope or that they are letting go of their problems regarding agrarian reform.

A solidarity march was then held from SEC field to Gate 2.5. Attendees were chanting “Repormang Agraryo, ipatupad (Agrarian reform, enforce it)!” and “Kabuhayang Pilipino, ipaglaban (Filipino livelihood, fight for it)!” throughout the march.

Buklod Atenista ambassador CJ Leong also gave a tribute message for the farmer-leaders who died in their fight for agrarian form.

Buklod Atenista is a union of Ateneo universities in the Philippines, which includes Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Manila, Ateneo de Naga, Ateneo de Zamboanga and Xavier-Ateneo de Cagayan.

A minute of silence was then offered for the farmer-leaders followed by the candle lighting.

Continuing the fight

Dela Cruz estimates that there were more than a hundred people who came to support Afarm’s initiative for a better execution of agrarian reform.

“When we marched from SEC field to Gate 2.5, I was actually overwhelmed, because there were a lot of students who participated,” he said.

Despite the June 30 deadline, Dela Cruz wants to continue fighting for agrarian reform in the country.

According to him, Afarm has talked to University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ and that Villarin promised to send a copy of the Afarm youth manifesto to Aquino.

Dela Cruz confirmed that, as of now, Afarm is only waiting for Aquino’s response to the manifesto.

Updated on July 1, 2014 at 11:40 PM.