Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo commended the Liga ng mga Manggagawang Bukid (LMB), a group of peasant farmers in Guimba, Nueva Ecija whose sources of livelihood are being affected by reaper-harvester operations in the region, for their united efforts in helping their community survive hunger.

Motivated by their organizations’ determination and the DSWD’s Food-For-Work Program (FFWP), where they sow vegetables in exchange of Family Food Packs (FFPs), the poor farmer families established more communal vegetable gardens in their area. These gardens are now spread across several barangays in Guimba.

It can be recalled that the group approached the DSWD late last year to ask for food assistance after losing the land they are tilling and after being affected by the widespread use of reaper-harvesters in farms. The Department responded immediately, providing about 4,000 families with food packs through its FFWP.

Under the program, the farmers will sow vegetables within a specified number of days in exchange of the FFPs. The program resulted in the establishment of communal vegetable gardens in the community.

The food-for-work program of the DSWD has already ended in Guimba, but the farmers continued establishing more vegetable gardens in different barangays, helping them provide food not only for their family, but also for other residents in their community.

This ‘bayanihan’ spirit was witnessed by Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Director Amada Pornaras and Office of the Secretary Director Maristela Abenojar, who visited  Guimba yesterday to announce the provision of more assistance to the farmers, this time through the livelihood program of the DSWD. The Directors, joined by DSWD Field Office (FO) Region III staff and representatives of non-government-organizations (NGOs), also went to see the communal gardens in barangays Manggang Marikit, Nagpandayan, Naglabrahan, Bunol, Cabaruan, Manacsac and Tampac. These areas are where many farm workers suffered drastric loss of income due to the wide use of reaper-harvesters of landowners.

In barangay Manggang Marikit, borrowed lands were used to plant organic vegetables such as bitter melons, tomatoes, round eggplants, and other vegetables used to cook pinakbet- a famous vegetable dish in the central and northern regions of Luzon.

Maricel Ramilo, a farm worker and LMB member from the barangay said, “Malaking tulong talaga ang programa. Sa halip na na ipambili namin ng gulay yung perang kinikita namin, ipambibili na lang namin ng bigas o pambaon ng mga bata (The program is a big help to us. Instead of using the money to buy vegetables, we buy rice or use the money for our children’s needs).”

Increasing LMB membership

Meanwhile, in Nagpanday, the barangay with the most number of reaper-harvesters in Guimba, LMB membership has rapidly expanded in the span of a few months.  Several new plots for the group’s communal garden are also opened. LMB President Jose Gamay said that people are starting to realize the importance of their advocacy, the right of people to plant for their own consumption, and most importantly the significance of the call for genuine land reform.

“Kahit yung pagto-tongits, napalitan ng pag-ga-garden. Nagawa po namin ito dahil nais naming igiit ang karapatan naming gumapas at mabuhay(Even card games called tongits was replaced with the hobby of gardening. Now we all want to assert our right to harvest and our right to till),” Zandro Tomas, an LMB leader in Brgy. Nagpandayan said.

Even the lack of plots for communal gardens was not a hindrance for farmers at Brgy. Cabaruan. Several of their vegetable plants such as eggplant, tomatoes, and beans were planted in sacks or straw bags. Apart from fostering the creativity and ingenuity of the farmers, LMB was also able to create links with other NGOs and professionals who  provided them with technical knowledge about planting. Media practitioners from the local Radyo Natin Station have also been instrumental in the success of the farmers’ campaign for livelihood and organization.

When asked why was it was only now that they thought of collective gardening when they have been experiencing poverty for decades, Clarita Sawit, an LMB member since last year and a senior citizen from Nagpanday answered, “Wala po kasing organisasyon noon. Mas mabuti ngayon may pagkakaisa (There was no organization then. Now we do and we work with unity).”

“In situations like this, we must show true compassion for our kababayans. Barely getting by their daily needs, loss of income for farm workers can mean life and death for their families. And while we provide assistance to farm workers affected by this man-made calamity through our programs and services, our work to help them does not end with us just providing food packs or financial assistance. We must be one with them in fighting poverty,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.

Dialogue with DSWD officials

The group of DSWD officials and employees who visited Guimba also held a dialogue with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of the municipality and leaders of LMB from other Nueva Ecija towns, including Cuyapo, Nampicuan, Quezon, Licab, and Bongabon Cluster to conduct consultations on the appropriate livelihood projects to provide to the farmers.

Dir. Pornaras discussed the process and principles of SLP.  She also advised the farmers to tackle practical issues concerning livelihood. A representative from the LGU, on the other hand, discussed the counterpart assistance the local government can offer.

For her part, Dir. Abenojar congratulated the LMB leaders for strongly taking the stand of the farmers and showing cooperation and unity towards the interest of farm workers.

“Napakagandang aral po ang naibahagi ninyo sa amin at ito’y babaunin namin sa pagtungo namin sa ibang komunidad (These are very valuable lessons you showed us which we will share with the other communities we will visit),” she stated.

Sec. Taguiwalo said, “Sa kaunting tulong ng DSWD, tunay nga na malayo ang naaabot ng mga pagsisikap kung nagkakaisa at organisado ang mamamayan. Ito po ang ipinakita ng mga myembro ng Liga ng mga Manggagawang Bukid na nagtulungan para palakasin ang kanilang hanay at makapaghanap ng rekurso para sa kanilang proyektong pangkabuhayan at makakalap ng suporta sa kanilang mga panawagan.Bagama’t mahirap ang kanilang kalagayan, nagsisikap pa rin sila upang maiangat ang kanilang sarili (With little help from the DSWD, citizens who are organized and united will be able to reach their goal. This is what the members of the Liga ng mga Manggagawang Bukid showed us. The farmers helped each other to strengthen their group in order to get the assistance they badly need. What they are experiencing is really hard, but they still strive to alleviate themselves).”

“Pinapatunayan lamang nito na nasa mamamayan ang tunay na lakas ng pagbabago, at narito ang DSWD at iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan para suportahan ang mga pagsisikap ng mamamayan (This just proves that change is in the hands of the people. The DSWD is here, together with different government agencies, to support the efforts of the citizens),” the welfare chief added.

A reaper harvester is a mechanized vehicle tool used to harvest rice. Ordinarily, harvesting of a hectare of rice requires around 20 farm workers, but through mechanization, only three people are needed. This has caused widespread hunger in Nueva Ecija where the majority of the population are poor farmers and farm workers dependent on harvesting in the fields for their rice consumption up to the next harvesting season.###