Farmers barnstorm southern Iloilo for Robredo, Pangilinan

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Farmers from across the country campaigning for the 2022 presidential election tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan landed in southern Iloilo on Friday, April 8, hoping to make inroads with farmers and fisherfolk there.

This is part of their 41-day march and caravan from Sumilao, Bukidnon, which started on March 28 and is slated to end on the last day of the campaign for the 2022 polls on May 7.

Sumilao farmers support Robredo as she was one of the legal counsels who defended them in their case over their land in 2007, even before the start of her political career.

While they were scheduled for house-to-house campaigning for the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, this was ultimately canceled in Miagao and San Joaquin due to rains.

Joining the Sumilao farmers were members of the Pambansang Kilusan ng Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), from provinces including Robredo’s home of Camarines Sur, Quezon province, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The farmers started their journey here meeting with other Robredo-Pangilinan supporters in Iloilo City and in Oton.

They then proceeded to Brgy. Nanga in Guimbal, where some of their members met with local fisherfolk.

Alfredo Heis, a fisherman from Concepcion, Zamboanga Sibugay, told his story of how Robredo’s Angat Buhay program under the Office of the Vice President had helped them to get new fishing vessels and equipment.

Sumilao farmer Olay told Daily Guardian that their community already treats the vice president as their “barkada” or friend, trading stories and goods with her whenever she would visit.

The farmer also took note of the “lugaw” moniker thrown at Robredo since the 2016 election cycle, saying that it was her ultimate connection to farmers and the poor.

“Leni [Robredo] is already like a friend to us. Whenever she comes, we talk about anything, that is why we treat her like that. I volunteered to join the caravan also because of the false issues thrown at her, like she was pro-rich, being aloof, and ‘lugaw’,” Olay said.

“The ‘lugaw’ name, I really thought about that. Why would they call her that? Lugaw, for us poor, that is what we feed to our children from 6 to 10 months old. When people get sick, they are fed with lugaw. The name-calling made me mad, but not the lugaw name, because that symbolizes something. It symbolizes people like me who are poor. It’s not [actually] bad,” she added.

Rene Cerilla, a former PAKISAMA president, shared that he was trained by Robredo herself at the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN) as a paralegal, and worked with her to serve farmers in Quezon province.

“I was with [Robredo] for quite some time at SALIGAN because they took me in as a paralegal for farmers in Quezon [province], to take care of their land ownership concerns. Time went that I became a coordinator for all paralegals in Luzon,” Cerilla said.

“I joined the caravan because people were saying that she was for the rich. That is not true. [Robredo], before she was a [Camarines Sur 3rd district] representative, she was a lawyer with the [Public Attorney’s Office] and then in SALIGAN. She trained people like us, farmers and fisherfolk, workers, urban poor, and women. I do this for many to know that she is for the poor. If she wins, the country will prosper because we studied Brazil’s Zero Hunger program and she memorizes it,” he added.

Cerilla added that their support for the vice president was not a debt of gratitude, but “receipts” for fellow farmers and fisherfolk to realize that she is the best person for them.

He also recalled Pangilinan welcoming them in Samar province back when they marched to advocate for a law to utilize the coconut levy fund, or what is now known as Republic Act No. 11524 (Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act).

“We do this on our own, not as payment to her, but we do this because this is her receipt for farmers and marginalized sectors in the time that she wasn’t even a lawyer yet. Because she had helped a lot, we want her to help more people when she becomes president. We all pitched in to do this caravan to tell the public to be wise in voting, and vote for [both Robredo and Pangilinan],” he added.

PAKISAMA President Herminio Agsalona, a farmer from Barotac Viejo, said that the vice president has helped them to avail of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) programs for Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries.

“The March of Farmers’ Families is a march to let all local and indigenous farmers and fisherfolk know as to why Leni [Robredo] is being touted by [their fellow] farmers and fisherfolk. [Robredo], before she was in politics, has helped many [of us], especially with DAR programs, and almost all of us are CARP beneficiaries. We could not pay lawyers, but because [Robredo] was in SALIGAN, she helped us to get the land awarded by the government to farmers,” Agsalona said.

They will continue on with their march in Antique today, April 9.