Peasant Women, Coping on the Fringes

By LYN V. RAMO
With their small parcels of land no longer producing enough for their families, peasant women and men try to make do with odd jobs.
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By LYN V. RAMO
With their small parcels of land no longer producing enough for their families, peasant women and men try to make do with odd jobs.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Seven in every 10 Filipinos are farmers, the KMP (Peasant Movement of the Philippines) emphasized, which was why they had been trying to bring their demands right to the president himself. If there is to be change, a lot of it must happen on farmers’ lives, they said.
Update: Peasants in Mendiola Camp-out, First Victims of Violent Dispersal Under the New Government

By MARYA SALAMAT
Instead of getting closer to their dream of owning the land they have been tilling for decades, Hacienda Luisita farmers are being told by soldiers to stop their struggle for land or else 'something will happen' to them.

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Pagbabago! said Aquino’s first 100 days will be crucial as it will reveal the priorities of and set the tone for the new government.

By MARYA SALAMAT
“Despite the media-created belief that positive change for the Filipino peasantry would be possible under the Aquino administration, we are discouraged by Noynoy’s frequent attempts to dissociate himself from the Hacienda Luisita problem and in refusing to admit to the failure of CARP [Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program] despite the dehumanizing plight to which it has consigned the majority of farmers,” a peasant leader said.

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Peasant leaders are challenging president-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino to act on the case of the farmers of Sitio Buntod in Hacienda Yulo. The violent dispersal of the barricade of the farmers of Hacienda Yulo is the first attack against peasants since the election season began during the start of the year.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Peasants from haciendas in Luzon knocked on Aquino's Times St residence with a letter outlining farmers' suggestions on how Aquino could deliver his promised change, starting with real improvement in agriculture.
By ANNE EDNALYN V. DE LA CRUZ
"Agriculture must be given sufficient budget in order to improve irrigation facilities, provide credit support, build the necessary infrastructure, and distribute the lands to farmers," Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano said.

By D. L. MONDELO
“The automated electoral system does not prevent the cheating tactics of the past but in fact allows cheating in a bigger and faster way.”
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