Arroyo meeting Sumilao farmers Saturday
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:34:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will again meet with farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the Office of the Press Secretary said Friday.
Marlon Manuel, one of the farmers’ lawyers, said the meeting might be about finalizing finalize the farmers’ agreement with San Miguel Corp. over a disputed 144-hectare property in Sumilao.
Last week, Sam Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang confirmed that the food and beverage giant had reached a deal with the farmers, who late last year marched from Bukidnon to Manila to press for their claim to the land, which they had been awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The farmers have been pressing their ownership of the land since the late 1990s, when they lost possession of the property after then executive secretary Ruben Torres issued a land conversion order.
Lately, the farmers said the Quisumbing family, the original landowners, and San Miguel Foods Inc., which purchased the land, had violated the terms of the land conversion after failing to develop the property within five years.
Following the farmers’ two-month march from Bukidnon, Arroyo issued a presidential order placing the land once more under CARP.
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