LAND-OWNER CANCELS MILLING PROGRAM OF 1000 SUGAR
FARMERS IN NASUGBU    

By WestBAT, Inc.

Barely two months before the start of the sugarcane milling season, about 1,000 farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries in Hacienda Roxas, Nasugbu were caught unprepared by the cancellation of their milling program last October 2, 2007 by the Roxas-owned Central Azucarera de Don Pedro (CADP), in an apparent move to pressure the farmers on the land ownership issue.

Hacienda Roxas, which has a total land area of 2,930 hectares, was a property of Don Pedro Roxas before it was covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 1993. The distribution of the Collective Land Ownership Award (CLOA) by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to 771 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of Hacienda Roxas in 1993-1999 was contested by the Roxas family who filed for land reclassification-conversion and consequently, cancellation of CLOA with the Presidential Decree 1520 declaring the Municipality of Nasugbu as a Tourism Zone as the legal basis. The case is currently being heard at the Supreme Court.

Affected by the cancellation of milling program in CADP are about 800 members of the Katipunan ng Magsasaka sa Hacienda Roxas People’s Organization (KAMAHARI PO), 140 from Damayan ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Roxas Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc. (DAMBA MPCI) and 10 from Kooperatiba ng Magsasaka ni San Isidro Labrador (KOMSIL), which covers approximately 1,200 hectares of sugarcane and a volume of production equivalent to P120M.

When the CLOAs were distributed to the ARBs back in 1998, the milling program granted by the CADP only provides for 35% subsidy of the trucking expenses. The rest is shouldered by the small farmers, eating up most of their meager income from sugarcane. Their appeal in 2002 to upgrade the milling program to 100% subsidy enjoyed by big planters, was ignored. Worse, CADP cancelled the farmers’ milling program, knowing full well that the farmers are at the mercy of the sugar central.

Calls for a dialogue by the farmers in the presence of the Municipal Mayor of Nasugbu were not heeded by the CADP Management. Instead, the farmers received a proposal from Roxas through its lawyer, indicating that the affected farmers’ cane may be milled subject to several conditions favorable only to Roxas. These conditions include: the quedan will not be turned-over to the farmers; molasses will be waived by the farmers and above-all, the sugarcane will not be registered to the farmer but rather to Roxas. All these are evidently unacceptable to the farmers.

According to the farmers, Roxas is clearly behind the move to cancel their milling program. That instead of the CADP Management addressing the issue, it is Roxas taking control attested by the proposal sent to the farmers. In a desperate move, Roxas is intimidating the small farmers by using its influence over the sugar central- the one arena where small farmers are susceptible and defenseless.

Then again, the farmers are resolved more than ever to stand-up against harassment and bullying by the former land-owner. The farmers believe that the milling issue should be addressed by CADP only and solely. As such, the farmers, with the support of the Municipal Government, call on the CADP to value the small farmers in Nasugbu and prioritize them over big planters from other area. This after all is a milling issue involving small farmers in the municipality where CADP operates, that if not resolved, the local economy stands to lose all because of selfish interests imposed by few individuals.