MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon, Philippines—After the decade-old struggle of Sumilao farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, another land conflict is looming here.

Bukidnon farmers belonging to indigenous peoples, who have occupied the expired and canceled ranches located in Maramag town in September, staged a protest rally at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in Pangantucan town recently to show discontent over the alleged slow-paced processing of their forest management applications.

The farmers, belonging to the Alliance of Landless Farmers and Rural Poor in Bukidnon-Task Force Mapalad (Alyansa-TFM), complained of the alleged incompetence of Elpidio Magday, the Cenro chief in Pangantucan, after their application for Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) showed no progress despite their submission of required documents.

The farmers alleged that Magday has been delaying their application since it has not yet called the attention of the National Commission on Indigenous People for the conduct of the Free Prior
Informed Consent (FPIC), a requirement for CBFM.

The FPIC is a community consultation especially among the indigenous peoples who live in the area applied for CBFM.

The CBFM will serve as the tenurial instrument of Alyansa farmers who now occupy the cancelled ranches of Alan Uy, Ocaya and Villalon.

Oscar Mañiego, Alyansa-TFM chairperson, said there was no reason for Cenro’s delay because they have already filed their CBFM application right after Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Joselito Atienza cancelled the Forest Land Grazing Lease Agreements (FLGLAs) of these ranches on August 20 this year.

The farmers who took over the Villalon ranch have already applied last year.

“How can Secretary Atienza grant our CBFM application when this local environment office is not responsive to our request? In so doing, it is not working in consonance with his advice,” said Mañiego.

He said Atienza is the person who shall approve CBFM applications.

Magday told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that he has told the farmers that they need to wait for Atienza to act on the motion for reconsideration filed by ranchers Baclig and Ocaya which has a 90-day grace period.

Grace C. Albasin, Inquirer Mindanao