[asia-apec 467] Hungry peasants block Mindanao highway

[PAN Asia Pacific]

FORWARDED MAIL -------
From: kmp at info.com.ph
Date: 14 Jun 98

Philippine Daily Inquirer 14 June 1998

DROUGHT PROTEST
Farmers barricade Kidapawan highway

KIDAPAWAN CITY--Drought-affected farmers early Friday barricaded the
national highway leading to the warehouse of the National Food Authority,
blocking transportation for at least three hours.=20

  Starting at around 4:30 a.m. some 5,000 farmers formed a human barricade
along the highway. Some passengers had to walk about 500 meters to take a
ride in vehicles stranded at the other end.=20

  Some of the stranded passengers were government employees who were dressed
in their "Centennial attire" for an activity at the provincial capitol. They
had to walk through the muddy portion of the road.=20

  Governor-elect Emmanuel Pi=F1ol was able to convince the farmers to
dismantle the barricade, assuring them that acting Gov. Agnes Amador would
arrive at the picket line for a dialogue.=20

  Hours after the assurance was given, Amador arrived and held a dialogue
facilitated by Bishop Romulo Valles of the Diocese of Kidapawan.=20

  The farmers, belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, are
demanding that government provide them two sacks of rice per family for four
months, seeds and farm inputs.=20

  But Amador said they could not give the farmers' demand, saying the
provincial government has only 3,000 sacks of rice for the province's 18=
 towns.=20

  Amador said officials have initially agreed to allocate 1,632 sacks of
rice for the protesters, who represent only 11 towns.=20

  The protesters also agreed to temporarily lift the picket, but warned they
will return if government failed to deliver its promise.=20

  Fr. Ronilo Villamor of the Diocese of Kidapawan said he cannot understand
why government cannot attend to the emergency needs of the farmers when it
can well afford to spend several millions of pesos for a grand Centennial
celebration.=20

  "I feel it is not valid for the government to say it cannot solve the
problem of the farmers when it has enough budget for unnecessary fanfare and
fireworks,'' Villamor said.=20

  "This is an insult to thousands of farmers and lumads who are starving in
the cold while the government is enjoying a grand celebration. What a
shame!," Villamor added.

By Larry C. Agpalo, Charlie C. Se&ntide;ase and Jowel F. Canuday, PDI
Mindanao Bureau              =20