CARP: Creating new landlords?

Growing up in a “sugarlandia” in Negros Oriental, I was so immersed in it.  Unfortunately, not as a landlord but as a farmworker.  Then, every morning, I woke up listening from my neighbor’s transistor radio the call for a “New Society” and the “land for the landless” slogan.  The terms “poverty threshold” or “poverty line” still unknown to most of us at that time, we (our family) were simply referred to as in “dire strait”, in indescribable mess.  

The only solution concocted then was the “land reform” or the “land for the landless’ program.  Then, it was regarded as the panacea.  Now, a grown-up and have resided in some communities several hundred times bigger than ours, my perception has changed.  I realized that we (me, my family and my neighbors) were not alone in such miseries.  In fact, to some extent, some are even worst.

Truth to tell, our country is, undoubtedly, rich in natural resources.  Despite these God-bestowed gifts, however, we’ve remained poor.  As a matter of fact, of the country’s population, save for a handful of middle class and a pinch of those whom we call the elite, 90percent of the rest maybe considered as the socialites among mendicants.  The remaining 10percent of  the unfortunates are simply referred to as “beggars”, “mendicants” or “panhandlers”.    Consequently, when crisis looms, we are severely hit.  Crushed and mangled, all accusing fingers are pointed to one direction – poverty.

Today, the issue on poverty is again brought to fore. The masses are asking, “Why in heaven’s name do this government claims to have grown economically, yet, they are still mired in abject poverty”.

Undoubtedly, the past several years, the country has economically improved.  In fact, despite a very much maligned Arroyo administration, our economy parlayed the 2008-2009 recession better than our other Asian neighbors.  Moreover, the boom in the outsourcing industry and the steadily increasing remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers  have added impetus to a once sagging economy.  Consequently, our economy grew at a yearly average of 4.5percent the past decade.  To PNoy’s credit, however, in his reign our GDP grew by 6.6percent in  2012, and despite the massive destructions in the Visayas brought about by the tremor and super typhoon Yolanda, the country has considerably achieved last year’s projected growth rate.

Despite this rosy picture (both GMA’s & PNoy’s reigns), however, poverty has worsened.  Thus, our countrymen are wondering, why in heaven’s name we claim to have grown significantly, yet, majority of our brethrens are still languishing in poverty.  For one, economic growth is generally measured in terms of GDP.  Increase in GDP does not necessarily trickle down to the grassroots.  It simply means that the pace of growth is there but the path or pattern of growth does not cut through the working class or the masses.  To put it bluntly, we certainly have “economic growth” but, absolutely, there is no “inclusive growth”.

Realistically, setting aside the dole-out oriented 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, this concern regarding “inclusive growth” should have been addressed several decades ago as far as tenants or farmworkers are concerned.  With the implementation and perpetual extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, poverty should have been a thing of the past for these beneficiaries.  Except for a few, however, some supposed emancipated families/beneficiaries have continued to be in bondage. 

Some reasons are very obvious, yet, the Department of Agrarian Reform is simply staring at it blankly. Therefore, with DAR turning a blind eye, let it be known to all instead that most of the agrarian beneficiaries are simply in the same state or even worst.  The truth is, to some extent, the then popular “emancipation from the bondage” slogan has remained a slogan despite the CARP’s implementation and perpetual extension. 

Why? Logically, some beneficiaries, due to some inadequacies, have formed cooperatives or associations.  Purportedly, their formed cooperatives or associations shall be able to help them get through the road to prosperity.  Sadly, however, prosperity has remained elusive.  What is truly happening is, there are officers of some cooperatives and associations who have continuously sucked the bounty in immeasurable gluttony while their members are relatively under their mercy.  The beneficiaries are simply handed out with a few pennies.  Obviously, therefore, these officers have become these beneficiaries’ new landlords. 

So that, if DAR will continue to turn a blind eye on these realities, we can only surmise that all their actions are deliberate.  The rumor that they (some DAR personnel) are part of the scheme would, in fact, even be a big truth.  After all, having these hapless beneficiaries under the mercy of the officers of the cooperatives and associations (a.k.a. new landlords) will make it handy for them to perpetually enjoy the benefits from it.

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