Members of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) One Movement (AOM) set up a protest camp in front of the provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Barangay Mankilam in Tagum City on Wednesday, September 27. (Photo courtesy of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries One Movement)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines— Almost 1,000 plantation workers are up against landowners of banana plantation as they claim the ownership right to the banana plantation lands in Davao del Norte.
Members of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) One Movement (AOM) set up on Wednesday, September 27, a protest camp in front of the provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Barangay Mankilam in Tagum City.
Billy Cabintoy, secretary general of the AOM said eight ARB organizations under their alliance claim at least 1,476.44 hectares of lands spread in cities of Panabo and Tagum, and Kapalong town.
“We urge Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer for Davao del Norte Jocelyn Seno to expedite the long-standing petitions and agrarian cases that were submitted and lobbied by the beneficiaries,” Cabintoy said in a statement.
They are also challenging new DAR chief Rosalino Bitoyong to “immediately release the pending Installation Orders.”
Bistoyong replaced former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, who was rejected by the Commission on Appointments on September 6.
Cabintoy said their “Kampuhan sa mga Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries” would last for a maximum of two weeks or earlier if their call for the immediate release of Installation Orders of ARBs that has pending Petition for Installations in Davao del Norte are granted.
Four ARB organizations are claiming more than 800 hectares of land in the areas of Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Incorporated.
Cabintoy said the WADECOR Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (WEARBAI) claims 376 hectares; the Checkered Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and Employees Multipurpose Cooperative (CHARBEMCO) claims 282 hectares; the PAHECO Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (PEARBAI) claims 163 hectares, and Linda District Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (LINDEARBAI) claims 448 hectares.
He said the Alberto Marfori Soriano Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (AMSARBO) also claims 91 hectares in Kapalong town; some ARBs in Barangay Madaum claims 152 hectares in Baret property, while the Gagmay’ng Mag-uuma Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (GMARBAI) claims 60.05 hectares; and, the Hijo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (HARBCO) claims 56.39 inside the plantation managed by Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) also in Barangay Madaum in Tagum City.(davaotoday.com)
