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Write_up-Bugho Farmers Assn

Date post: 15-Dec-2015
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Plight of Uninstalled Farmer Beneficiaries in Ormoc, Leyte
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Land security and rehabilitation in Yolanda affected areas Farmers are extremely vulnerable to climate change. Their crops are not only exposed to risk from extreme weather events such as drought or flooding; their recovery and rehabilitation also often depend on their land security. Land secure farmers are relatively assured that they have their land asset to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. As such, farmers with land security can recover faster than those without tenure security as they are often prioritized in the provision of rehabilitation support from government agencies and aid organizations. In the Philippines, “uninstalled” farmers is a special case: they are secure only on paper. In reality, they are without control of the lands that were supposedly awarded to them under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Such that while they can legitimately claim rehabilitation support for inputs to rehabilitate their land, the land to be rehabilitated remain out of their hands due to the failure of the government to protect and enforce their rights. The situation of Bugho Farmers Association (BFA), a group of farmer- beneficiaries in Ormoc City, Leyte, is a case in point. Members of BFA received their land titles in 1999. For 16 years, they reaped nothing but empty promises from government agencies for them to settle on the 46-hectare land awarded to them. They had remained outside of the land due to threats from actors who are loyal to the former landowner. When Yolanda (Typhoon Haiyan) struck, they were among the reported uninstalled farmers in almost 1,800 has. of land in Ormoc City, one of the areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda. After the devastation suffered by their community in November 2013, BFA members intensified their demand for installation at various levels of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). They also reported their situation to the House Committee on Agrarian Reform in Congress, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (OPARR). It was more of the same. On April 30, 2015, BFA members decided to assert their rights by successfully occupying a 25-hectare portion of the awarded land. Since then, members of BFA have collectively farmed the land. They plan to convert into organic rice farming to replace the current
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Page 1: Write_up-Bugho Farmers Assn

Land security and rehabilitation in Yolanda affected areas

Farmers are extremely vulnerable to climate change. Their crops are not only exposed to risk from extreme weather events such as drought or flooding; their recovery and rehabilitation also often depend on their land security. Land secure farmers are relatively assured that they have their land asset to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. As such, farmers with land security can recover faster than those without tenure security as they are often prioritized in the provision of rehabilitation support from government agencies and aid organizations.

In the Philippines, “uninstalled” farmers is a special case: they are secure only on paper. In reality, they are without control of the lands that were supposedly awarded to them under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Such that while they can legitimately claim rehabilitation support for inputs to rehabilitate their land, the land to be rehabilitated remain out of their hands due to the failure of the government to protect and enforce their rights. The situation of Bugho Farmers Association (BFA), a group of farmer-beneficiaries in Ormoc City, Leyte, is a case in point. Members of BFA received their land titles in 1999. For 16 years, they reaped nothing but empty promises from government agencies for them to settle on the 46-hectare land awarded to them. They had remained outside of the land due to threats from actors who are loyal to the former landowner. When Yolanda (Typhoon Haiyan) struck, they were among the reported uninstalled farmers in almost 1,800 has. of land in Ormoc City, one of the areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda.

After the devastation suffered by their community in November 2013, BFA members intensified their demand for installation at various levels of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). They also reported their situation to the House Committee on Agrarian Reform in Congress, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (OPARR). It was more of the same.

On April 30, 2015, BFA members decided to assert their rights by successfully occupying a 25-hectare portion of the awarded land. Since then, members of BFA have collectively farmed the land. They plan to convert into organic rice farming to replace the current chemical-based farming to promote sustainable agriculture in rice producing Yolanda-affected areas.

The farmers recent successful land rights initiatives are being assisted by the Rural Poor Institute for Land and Human Rights Services (RIGHTS), Inc. and the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA). RIGHTS is a partner of Development and Peace in addressing asset reform in selected Yolanda-affected areas.

Page 2: Write_up-Bugho Farmers Assn

Entry of Bugho Farmers with support from Leyte Federation of Farmers & Fisherfolks Assoc. (LEYFFAFIA) on April 30, 2015. (All Photos: King Montebon, RIGHTS)

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Mass Held on May 10, 2015. (All Photos: AJ Jumauay, RIGHTS)

Page 7: Write_up-Bugho Farmers Assn

Press Conference held on May 12, 2015

Photo Credit: AJ Jumauay, RIGHTS)

Photo Credit: Baby Reyes, RIGHTS


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