Journey to Philippine History

Journal #4

Land reform or Agrarian reform is about the distribution of land and property to the people especially the agricultural farmers and labourers. We were able to discuss the history of agrarian reform from the past and especially under the Presidents of the Philippines, and we had this question.

So how were the Aquinos able to keep their large track of land of more than 7 hectares?

Mrs. Aquino came from a family of very large landowners. Especially the Cojuangco family, which was one of the largest landlords in the country. With the irony, allegations on President Aquino say it is because of lack of commitment and political will on the program (CARP) due to the low budget and remittances. Furthermore, critics also say that she could have implemented a program because of her political powers after the revolution.

Also in her time, were the livelihood and agro-industrial programs were boosted to become effective and productive to transfer them into business people.

But despite of this, Aquino family managed to have a track of land of more than 7 hectares. These are the some reasons:

Reducing the size of land for distribution

There are two ways how the Cojuangco-Aquinos did this.

First is through the land survey. In the 05 July 2011 decision of the high court, the total number of hectares up for distribution should be 4,915.75 hectares. The DAR, however, arrived at the total land area of only 4,099 hectares, saying that it excluded residential areas, canals, roads, firebreaks, a cemetery, buffer zones, lagoons, fishponds, eroded areas, and legal easements.

In its petition before the high court, Ambala argued that the said areas – residential, canals, roads, firebreaks, a cemetery, buffer zones, lagoons, fishponds, eroded areas, and legal easements – had already been excluded from the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law through the stock distribution option (SDO) scheme in 1989. Thus, it should not be deducted again from the lands up for distribution.

Ambala also said the conduct of the land survey was not transparent. In a previous Bulatlat.com story, Florida Sibayan, acting chairwoman of Ambala, said the DAR agreed to their request to oversee the land survey, but Ambala did not receive any notice. She said they were surprised to know that the survey had been completed.

Second is through Cojuangco-Aquinos-owned companies claiming ownership over hundreds of hectares of land.

Based on the initial documents gathered by the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (Uma), the Tarlac Development Corporation (Tadeco) is claiming ownership over at least 461 hectares of land in the villages of Balete, Cutcut and Central.

According to the Sentro para sa Repormang Agraryo (Sentra), counsel for the Ambala, the SC decision directing the DAR to cover all agricultural lands of Hacienda Luisita for agrarian reform, included the land being claimed by Tadeco. Tadeco, Sentra said, has already divested its ownership of the subject land as all the agricultural lands of Hacienda Luisita were ordered distributed to the farmworkers.

In its complaint of unlawful detainer against the farmworker-beneficiaries, Tadeco alleged that the subject parcels of land are not covered by the agrarian reform program, but Sentra noted that the company did not attach any order for exemption or exclusion of the property from agrarian reform coverage as issued by the DAR. Sentra argued further that while Tadeco, in its complaint, stated that the subject lands are intended for future expansion into commercial or residential use, it also admitted that the lands are actually agricultural in use at present.

Moreover, in the memorandum issued by then Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman on Dec. 23, 2005 ordering the distribution of the entire Hacienda Luisita to farmworker-beneficiaries, the lands being claimed by Tadeco were included.

Pangandaman’s order was pursuant to the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council Resolution No. 05-32-01 S. 2005 revoking the stock distribution option (SDO) in Hacienda Luisita.

The Hacienda Luisita Incorporated (HLI), not Tadeco, filed a temporary restraining order against the said PARC resolution.

In a notice of coverage recently issued by DAR and published in the Philippine Star, Dec. 12, at least 358.22 hectares of land being claimed by Tadeco in Balete and Cutcut villages are up for distribution.

2. Filing charges against farm workers, supporters

The Cojuangco-Aquinos, through its corporation Tadeco, filed charges of unlawful detainer against 81 farmers in Cutcut village and 21 farmers in Balete village for occupying lands being claimed by Tadeco.

In its motion to dismiss the charges against the farmers, Sentra argued that the complaint fails to aver facts constitutive of unlawful detainer. The counsel for the farmers also asserted that the present case is agrarian in nature and should be solved by the DAR or its adjudication board.

Supporters of the farmers were not spared from charges. On Sept. 17, eleven farmers and supporters, including Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, were arrested by elements of the local police. They were charged with illegal assembly, malicious mischief, illegal trespass, and direct assault. They were later released on bail and Hicap and Catholic nun Pat Fox were dropped from the charge sheet.

On Dec. 21, elements of Philippine National Police (PNP) Tarlac arrested eight farmers. The arrests ensued as farmers attempted to block a bulldozer from destroying more farm lots in Balete village.

3. Mobilizing military, police, security guards

In several instances, policemen and suspected soldiers aided the security guards hired by Tadeco in harassing farmers.

The Dec. 21 arrests were directly supervised by the Tarlac PNP Provincial Director Alex Sintin, and Tarlac City PNP OIC Chief Bayani Razalan.

According to Ambala and Uma, the Army’s 3rd Mechanized Battalion set up a military camp in Balate village.

References:

Journal #3

In our discussion, we had this question: If the Spaniards' version were to be the right and accepted one, wherein the Spaniards are just and treat the Filipinos fairly, do you think it will be beneficial for the Filipinos to be under or colonized by Spain?

Even before the Spaniards have had arrived, Pre-Colonization of this country has already been created. Culture, beliefs, and traditions were established and even the system of government and politics were already been practiced.

And even if they are fair to the Filipinos, we cannot hide the fact they tried to occupy our country. They also influenced their tradition, language and religion to us, which is a form of brainwashing and cultural erasure.

Journal #1

Studying and learning about our history brings a lot of lessons from the past that can help create a better future for us. It is the mainstay of our present selves. We cannot shape our society for the future unless we have historical evidence. That is why history has great significance for the modern world and especially for the people.

As we had our discussion from last week's topic, we were able to learn about the different sources that helped historians identify the truths and stories of the past. Primary and secondary sources are the linking bridges to why we are able to understand our past.

Primary sources are direct, first-person accounts of a subject from individuals who had a close relationship with it. Diaries, letters, autobiographies, memoirs, pictures, artistic works, financial records, notes, and newspaper stories are some examples of the records that were produced by the witnesses or initial recorders of these events at or around the time they occurred. These sources are used as evidence by historians to interpret and analyze how historical figures internalized their experiences, their place in history, and their significance.

As for the secondary sources, they often assemble the chronology, events, or experiences of something that happened in history. It interprets and analyzes primary materials written by people who were not present during or directly affected by the historical era, event, or subject under consideration. Secondary sources are written about history by historians. Examples include textbooks, articles, and reference books.

As we were able to connect these two different sources, we learned the history of Binukot. It is a Filipino culture that involves isolating a young person (all reports include a young woman) in the hopes that future prospective spouses will respect the person more as a result of the isolation. The pre-Hispanic Philippines is where the custom first appeared and is still being used today. The Panay Bukidnon people, who hide women from the public view beginning in childhood, have most recently used it. Instead of doing heavy work, their duty is to learn, understand, and memorize their history. This makes the Binukot excellent epic chanters and repositories of their history, making them a primary and secondary source at the same time.

I was amazed that this practice still exists even to this day. Knowing for how many generations that we were colonized by the Spanish people really shows that our Indigenous tribe values the importance of our history.

I learned from this topic that sources are our way to the past. We may gain a thorough picture of previous events from the perspectives of the individuals who experienced them. It is important to know our sources, especially nowadays. By basing our actions on truth and facts, we can fight against fake news and disinformation.

References

Clark, J. (2017, December 8). BINUKOT: Women secluded and veiled in Philippine history. THE ASWANG PROJECT.

Journal #2

The Pre-Hispanic or Pre-Colonial era is one of the main roots of our culture and tradition up to this day. They had already established and developed their own customs even before the Spaniards had arrived. One of which is the system of their government.

According to some researchers, they believed that the system of government was patriarchal. I also believed this kind of perspective because when I was a child, I was taught that men were the most superior and dominant in leading a community. In the past, the type of government of the pre-Hispanic era was mainly led by the Datus, who were known to be the leaders of the Baranggay, a settlement with 30 to 100 families. "Not only does he serve as a chief executive but also as a legislator, judge, and as a military commander" (Puyat, 1959). He was able to use all of the government's powers and was also assisted by the elderly. Datus became the group's defender. They utilized their talents in diplomacy and battle to extract tribute from merchants and retain their tribes.

But as I learned from the history of the Datus, I also wondered, how about the women in the tribe? That's where I tried to find out about the Babaylans. Just like the men in their tribe, women also possessed a high position and were recognized as their equals. They were known to be mystical healers whose connection to the spiritual world served as a source of influence in politics and society. They were considered sacred priestesses and healers, but most significantly, they took charge of religious activities, including sacrifices and ceremonies. Babaylan routinely led their community in harmony, where their abilities helped Datus fight off their foes. They were also accorded the same respect and status as Datus (Leaders or Monarchs). Their positive balance among their people is based on peace and fairness, which contribute to the functioning of society.

To conclude, I believe that the government system is neither patriarchal nor matriarchal. Both men and women have significant roles in maintaining peace and balance within the community. Because of this, they established respect for each other. Studying from that era taught me that we have a rich cultural heritage and that our ancestors were powerful as well as spiritual. Not only that, they value how important equality was in the past. With the arrival of the Spaniards, this attitude vanished, and we were able to forget how important each and every member of the society.

References

Puyat, G. J. (1959). THE PHILIPPINES, ITS GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. Pakistan Horizon, 12(4), 313–322. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41392638.

Alvero, R. (2016, March 3). DID YOU KNOW? Pre-colonial Philippines’ longstanding tradition of women leadership and mysticism — foundation for Filipina women’s network. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network website: https://filipinawomensnetwork.org/epahayagan/did-you-know-pre-colonial-philippines-longstanding-tradition-of-women-leadership-and-mysticism

Miranda, A. (2022, August 29). Anthropology: The role of the pre-colonial Filipina in the Philippines. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from Yoair Blog website: https://www.yoair.com/blog/anthropology-the-role-of-the-pre-colonial-filipina-in-the-philippines/