Finally! I got to meet Nang Linda and the other Sumilao Farmers!
So today, I finally made it to the DAR office where the farmers have been holding camp. I got to meet Nang Linda, the woman in this photo over here and the rest of
the Sumilao Farmers. I initially approached Kim, my new friend whom I only met in person there hehe (hi Kim!!! hehe). I get most of my updates on the Sumilao March via the SumilaoMarch site and Kim's site and his youtube account. I had left him a personal message telling him that I would drop by late morning (practically asking him to wait for me because I didn't know anyone else there hehe). So anyways, I didn't actually arrive late morning but more of early afternoon. I had some stuff to finish which is why I couldn't leave the house yet. So anyways, I was lucky to catch him there. Sometimes pala he goes out to check his email etc. Good thing I recognized him from his photos. Though I'm not sure if he recognized me hehehe.
When I got there, the atmosphere was a bit tense because the farmers just got word that the DAR's decision was neither an approval nor a denial of their request for a cease and desist order but more of a decision that Pontious Pilate would have made. The DAR's decision was more of an order directing both parties "to maintain, preserve and observe status quo pending resolution of the case." WTF was that, right? So they were consulting with their legal team on whether to go through with the rally to Malacanang (organized by parish priests) on Friday or not. Eventhough I couldn't understand their dialect, I felt that they were really really pissed.
Anyways, after the meeting, Kim introduced me to Nang Linda and Manang Tessie. Manang Tessie naman introduced me to Manang Chinita. These are only 3 of the brave women who left their families in Bukidnon to walk for 2 months. They told me stories about their march and how they miss their families back home, especially their kids. Manang Tessie was worried that she might have to spend Christmas here. She had already missed her kid's birthday and even her husband's birthday. They're all worried about how to get home, alangan naman magIakad nanaman sila diba? I could feel Nang Linda's pain the most because she had been protesting eversince this case started. She had already gone on a hunger strike a few years back. And now this.
Dodong, one of the farmers, told me that the DAR Secretary didn't even receive them when they submittd the position paper. He asked the farmers to write a position paper and he didn't even give the farmers the courtesy of submitting the position paper in his office. Since the farmers were only allowed to stay outside of the gates, their position paper was only received by one of Pangandaman's close-in security aides. What an asshole! First, he makes these farmers walk for 2 months (with the hope that during the 2 months they've been walking, a decision had already been made). But no. During those 2 months that the farmers were walking, Mr. DAR Secretary sat on his fat ass doing nothing! So when the farmers arrived in Manila on December 3, they started camping out of the DAR office on December 5. However, to this day Mr. DAR Secretary still has nothing to show for. He even has a secret passage where he enters and exits so that the farmers wouldn't see him. What a coward!
So Kim kinda showed me around and introduced me to the other farmers. By this time, the tense atmosphere had already waned and they were in the mood to make kwento. So while I was intensely listening to their stories, one farmer handed me a huge plate of pansit and even gave me a cup of coffee. By the time I left, I didn't even realize that it was dark already hehehe...
Anyways, the huge plate of pancit was like a challenge for me haha...Aling Tessie figured that I was like having a hard time finishing it so she offered to finish it for me hehe.
So there. I'm going over there again later to bring more clothes. They actually need clothes, blankets, and toiletries. They're overflowing with food donations already. Aling Tessie even said that sometimes the food ends up spoiling because most of the time they hardly have the appetite to eat especially when they think about how to get back home to their families before Christmas and how to make that Sec. Pangandaman decide favorably on their case.
More stories tomorrow. There's this picture of a
parol that the farmers made out of their worn out slippers....It was really cool so I took a photo of it. It says "Merry Christmas?" The black stuff from the Merry Christmas is made out of the farmers hair which they had cut off in protest. Cool hehehe.
Here's another photo of Nang Linda.
Sorry I wasn't able to take a lot of photos because I only borrowed my uncle's camera, which incidentally was low on battery hehe...Plus I was kinda shy to take pictures of them. Maybe later. Plus I had to leave already because my car was parked inside the DAR premises hahaha....I think the guards thought I was going inside the DAR office. But then when he asked "Ma'am san po kayo?" my car was already parked inside and I was on my way outside to go to where the farmers were hehehe....
Anyways, there. I felt really good after the visit. Later I'm dropping by my friend's house to get more old clothes to donate to them.
Those of you reading this right now may have old clothes which you can donate. Let me know. Don't worry, I wont sell them sa ukay-ukay hehehe .