By the Philippine Information Agency
Bohol farmers belonging to the Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (HUMABOL) claimed the streets of Trinidad, Bohol Thursday April 10, 2008 for hours to dramatize their demands for serious government steps to prop up the dream of food stability, just as rice supplies tightening is felt across the country.
HUMABOL, an organization under the auspices of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) braved the streets, to demand immediate government action to actualize the country's food security.
For these, the farmers asked the government to strengthen its agencies, particularly the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to immediately solve the rice (and corn) crisis, states a signed press statement by Ruben Sabior, HUMABOL chairperson.
The farmers want the government to dismantle the cartels and upset the big rice traders by direcly buying in volume from the farmers at a higher farmgate price than what the traders are offering.
They aslo want the government to immediately "go after and punish the rice hoarders" and "corrupt officials including those who are involved in government project" kickbacks.
For the national government, the Bohol farmers rights advocacy group pointed out its 3-points policy changes to facilitate Bohol's transition to secure and stable food supply.
HUMABOL demands the country's immediate pull out from World Trade Organization policies on agriculture particularly the rice trade liberalization, the immediate cancellation of the land use conversion programs and the re-alignment of the debt-servicing and military budget to agricultural services and food production.
"Sa pagsulod sa gobyerno sa World Trade Organization (WTO) ug pag-implementar sa liberalisasyon sa pamatigayon sa bugas, unang nabundakan sa maong kalamidad ang mga mag-uuma. Mas misandig ang pangagamhanan sa importasyon sa bugas inay palambuon ang atong lokal nga agrikultura," Sabior claimed.
Meanwhile, economists in the country said a Philippine pullout from the WTO policy on rice trade liberalization means only sourcing out our rice supplies from local sources. This would be so, even if it would cost more for the country, as production costs here is expensive.
HUMABOL farmers however hope that by this, farmers can sell their rice at a higher price compared to ones with the cheaper imported rice in the markets.
However, there is no Philippine commitment to trade liberalization, PhilRice online website declares.
On land conversion, the group claimed, "dakong bahin sa kayutaan ang gihimong commercial, residential ug sonang industrial inay tamnan og bugas."
It also slammed conversion of lands into oil palm plantations and the policy that opens up agricultural lands to industrial zones and the plantations of jathropa for bio-fuels.
Over all these, Boholano rice farmers ask the government to implement genuine land reform law (GLRL) through the immediate approval of HB 3059.
The GLRL is their corrective version of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), which is slated to expire in June 2008, after a 10-year extension following its expiry in 1998.
The bill for GLRL calls for the repeal of Presidential Decree No. 27 and Republic Act No. 6657, including all laws, decrees, presidential proclamations, executive and administrative orders, ordinances and other issuances that are inconsistent with the proposed law.
The bill aims to break up land monopoly and distribute the lands within five years, and to eliminate all forms of oppression and exploitation in the countryside and thereby usher the advent of genuine social justice.
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