Farmers’ Lakbayan vs Bush-Arroyo: 
Getting Here From There 

Thousands of farmers including women and children left their farms in Southern Tagalog provinces over a week ago to join a Lakbayan (a long caravan) that would end in protest rallies in Metro Manila against the state visit of U.S. President George W. Bush. The contingents had to overcome high-gear security measures and police roadblocks along the way before linking up with thousands of protesters that marched toward Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Oct. 18. 

By Dennis Espada
Bulatlat.com

Thousands of farmers including women left their farms in Southern Tagalog provinces over a week ago to join a Lakbayan (a long caravan) that would end in protest rallies in Metro Manila against the state visit of U.S. President George W. Bush. The contingents had to overcome high-gear security measures and police roadblocks along the way before linking up with thousands of protesters that marched toward Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Oct. 18. 

The Lakbayan began as early as Oct. 10 on Mindoro island, some 300 kms southwest of Manila. A week before, leaders of the Southern Tagalog Opposed to the Presence of Bush (STOP Bush Coalition), a newly-formed broad alliance in the Southern Tagalog region, told reporters in a news conference in Quezon City that they’re condemning President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “unprecedented puppetry” to Bush.

“The Bush visit is not only a symbolic diplomatic action but also an effort to expand U.S. military intervention,” Joseph Garcia, spokesperson of Stop Bush Coalition, said. “Bush must be held accountable for his terrorist acts of aggression and imperialist dictates such as economic liberalization that is victimizing thousands of innocent people around the world.”

Wearing a traffic enforcer’s uniform, leaders of militant groups held large road signs bearing the words “Stop Bush” and “Corruption Ahead” where a cartoon of Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband holding bundles of money was shown.

Irein Cuasay, spokesperson of the human rights group Karapatan-Southern Tagalog (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights), checked a large violation ticket of Bush signed by Juan de la Cruz and containing “atrocities of Bush around the world” which include “war mongering” and “gross disrespect of human rights.”

Long march

Calling the caravan, “Lakbayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Teroristang Tambalan ng Imperyalistang U.S. at Kurakot, Pahirap na Rehimeng Macapagal-Arroyo” (People’s Caravan Against the Terrorist Partnership of U.S. Imperialists and Looter, Oppressive Macapagal-Arroyo Regime), the contingent from Mindoro merged on Oct. 13 with other protesters who first traveled by jeeps and buses from their provinces in Calamba City, Laguna some 70 kms south of Manila.  

Those who made it numbered around 1,500 organizers said, as others were blocked along the way by police and military checkpoints. From Calamba, the farmers now joined by workers, student activists and others began a long march passing through the municipalities of Cabuyao, Santa Rosa, Biñan, San Pedro and Muntinlupa all the way to Manila.

Old timer

Ronnie Flores, 64, one of the farmers from Occidental Mindoro, told Bulatlat.com this was the third time he would join a caravan. The first was in January 1987 that ended in the infamous Mendiola Massacre and the second was in October 1997 at the height of the nationwide protests against charter change.

“Noong 1987, bagama't napakatindi ng panghaharang ng mga militar ng pamahalaan ay nalulusutan natin ito”  (In 1987, despite intense blockades by the government’s military, we were able to get through), Mang Ronnie vividly recalls. “Ang laging tunguhin natin ay mahikayat tayong imulat ang mga tao sa kung ano ang tunay na nangyayari sa ating lipunan” (Our direction always is to be encouraged to make people become aware of what’s happening in our society).

Mang Ronnie has been a peasant organizer since the 1980s. He currently leads the local peasant group Samahang Magsasaka sa Kanlurang Mindoro (Samakami).
Empty Stomachs More Scary

Fear factor

Alex Arias, 48, a farmer from Sta. Cruz, Laguna and a father of two children, said that harassment by military or police authorities during protest activities is nothing new or a fear factor. What he fears most is hunger, he says.

“Mas kinatatakutan namin ay kapag kumakalam ang sikmura ng aming pamilya sa kagutuman” (We are more scared on the prospect that our families go about having growling stomachs due to hunger), says Alex, who also chairs the peasant group Pagkakaisa’t Ugnayan ng Magbubukid sa Laguna (Pumalag). “‘Yun ang dapat katakutan ng mamamayan…’yung pagpapalayas, pang-aagaw ng lupa at pandarahas sapagkat ang tutunguhin n’un ay kamatayan din. Kaya dapat lang na ipagtanggol ang karapatan naming mabuhay” (That’s what people are afraid of…the forced evictions, dispossession of land and violence because this leads to death. So it is just to defend our right to live).

Alex was proud of having brought along at least 100 farmers from Laguna to participate in the six-day long demonstration.

When asked what’s his compelling message to President Macapagal- Arroyo, Alex immediately and firmly replied, “She should resign now because our situation is getting worse day after day.”

Frantic

The Macapagal-Arroyo regime went “frantic” over preparations for Bush’s state visit, according to Mang Pido, 58, a coconut farmer from Lucena City in Quezon province. In an interview with Bulatlat.com, he said that at least 750 farmers were expected to join the caravan, but their numbers dwindled because military elements led by a certain Lt. Dela Fuente blocked three jeepneys of protesters in Atimonan, Quezon.

He also assailed the government’s allotment of P80 million for the Bush state visit, he said. The money, he continued, should have been used instead to fund subsidies for the improvement of the farmers’ copra production. Copra production is a major though dwindling source of income in Southern Tagalog.

Pido admits that leaving their farmlands in the countryside and not being able to work for a week is a big sacrifice for his family. “Kahit di namin personal na makausap si Bush, sapat-sapat na ‘yung aming ‘sanlinggong paglalakbay para ipaabot namin sa malawak na mamamayan ang tunay na kulay ng kanyang pagkatao. Naniniwala kami na si Bush ay numero unong terorista sa buong daigdig” (Even though we don’t have the chance to talk to Bush, our week-long caravan is already enough to reach a big number of people on his true intentions. We believe that Bush is the world’s number one terrorist). 

Mang Pido made it clear however that he and his co-farmers are not protesting against American citizens but against the devastating policies of the U.S. government represented by Bush who “controls our economic, political and cultural life.” Bulatlat.com

Back to top

We want to know what you think of this article.