MANILA — Farmers, fisherfolk along with Indigenous peoples and advocates culminated this year’s Peasant Month on October 21 by marching from España to Mendiola after a week-long camp out, bringing longstanding calls for genuine agrarian reform.

The Super El Niño, land-use conversion and human rights abuses are among the key issues aggravating the plight of rural folk.

Farmers from Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon expressed deep frustration by the state’s suggestion to use buckets to collect water. They decried the lack of government aid like subsidies for the dry spells, leaving many without food to sustain themselves and their families.

Other issues they highlighted are the Pax Silica initiative and various renewable energy projects which will convert their farmland into infrastructure which they said “will serve corporate interests and the US military complex.”

They condemned the continuing U.S. intervention in many aspects of the nation’s affairs. They vowed to hold protest actions on the upcoming visit of U.S. President Donald Trump,or this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forum. (RVO)

Text and photos by Viggo Sarmago

The post Farmers reiterate demand for genuine agrarian reform appeared first on Bulatlat.

From Bulatlat via This RSS Feed.