Luisita farmers to determine mode of land distribution, says land reform boss

MANILA, Philippines—The 6,200 farmer-beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita would have the ultimate say on how the land is to be carved out and titled, the chief of the Department of Agrarian Reform said Friday.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes made this statement to the Inquirer as he was en route to a meeting with a group of Hacienda Luisita farmers,  who have won a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court giving them a piece of  4,900 hectares covered by the land reform law.

De los Reyes said he would discuss the court ruling and what comes next for the land during a meeting with the farmers later Friday.

Reports from the massive sugar estate owned by the Cojuangco family, President Benigno Aquino’s relatives, indicated that farmers there have been discussing whether they should pursue individual or collective titles.

Of this, De los Reyes said: “They would be given options. This should not be a debate. If it is collective or individual will be the choice of the owner of the land, the farmers.”

Many of the 6,200 beneficiaries belong to the same family, he explained. If they want their lot to be adjacent to the land of another family member, the DAR would allow that, De los Reyes said.

The DAR chief noted that it would be up to the farmers if they want to form cooperatives and engage in contract growing. Nobody would  dictate to them what to plant.

“The primary decision maker is the farmer…. Some are saying that only sugarcane should be planted there. Who dictates that? If they want to plant sugarcane or vegetables, that is their choice,” De los Reyes said.