This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 28, August 21-27, 2005
March of the Hungry in ‘Tiempo Muerto’
“Tiempo Muerto” (dead
times) are bad times for cane workers. They go hungry because there is no work
and are neglected by landowners. Last Aug. 17, close to a thousand
hungry-stricken sugar workers and farmers trooped to the office of the
provincial government in Negros Occidental to demand immediate food and
production subsidies.
By
Karl G. Ombion BACOLOD CITY – Close to a
thousand hungry-stricken cane workers and farmers trooped to the office of the
provincial government in Negros Occidental, Aug. 17, to demand immediate food
and production subsidies. The sugar workers, looking
haggard and tired, came from sugar plantations in EB Magalona, Manapla, and
Toboso, and the cities of Silay, Talisay, Victorias and Escalante, in northern
Negros. They came to Bacolod City
without any prior notice. Some said in the local language, Ilonggo, that “the
off-milling season in the sugar industry have caused us tremendous hardships and
sufferings”. Alex Vicera, regional
vice-chairman of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), said that they
came to demand rice, noodles, canned goods, as well as seeds and tools for
production to cultivate portions of idle and abandoned lands in their respective
areas. “The hunger in the
haciendas,” Vicera said, “is getting worse, because of no work, and the neglect
of the hacienderos to the plight of their workers.” Vicera said they decided to
go to the provincial government because they see no other recourse. “We think
that it is their responsibility and we know that they have something to give to
provide us with temporary relief,” he said. After the dialogue with
provincial officials, the sugar workers were given 20 sacks of rice, 10m boxes
of sardines. In reaction, Vicera said, “These are not enough, but better than
nothing. Surely, we will return to put the government to task for remising on
its responsibility and accountability, especially in terms of providing lands,
and production subsidies.” Negros Occidental Gov.
Joseph Maranon told the farmers to submit livelihood proposals with the names of
the officers and members of their organizations so that they could be given
appropriate assistance. His office, he added, has given livelihood projects to
others who had sought similar assistance. Negros is largely a
monocrop sugar-based economy. The off-season in sugar industry dubbed “tiempo
muerto” (dead times) runs from April to September every year. During this
period, work in the haciendas and mills stops. It is termed “tiempo muerto”
because activities are practically dead in most parts of Negros. Majority of
the more than 300,000 sugarworkers and their estimated two million dependents
move to urban areas, coastal villages, and others to neighboring islands, to
look for work. NFSW leaders interviewed by
Bulatlat however said that for some years now, “tiempo muerto” lasts for
more than six months. NFSW claims that the sugar industry continues to suffer
due to massive importation of sugar, and rising inflows of smuggled sugar in the
domestic market by “monopolist sugar traders”. This is the reason why,
according to NFSW, the march of hungry sugar workers and peasant families to
Bacolod happens almost throughout the year. Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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