A Study of the Landgrabbing of the Lopez of the Farmland in Sitio Calumpit-Seedling and Its Effects on the Farmers

Abstract

Ever since the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was enacted, and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program implemented, landlords have utilized various methods to prevent their vast haciendas from being awarded to their tenants. Of these, the most effective means is through land use conversion, or converting the once agricultural land into industrial or commercial areas. This thesis paper, however, presents a new kind of landgrabbing. Instead of the landlords asserting their ownership over the land, it is the rich capitalist class who want to use the land for their business enterprises. In particular, this thesis paper studies the situation of the farmer-residents living in Sitio Calumpit-Seedling. They experienced numerous and gruesome human rights violations under the Blue Guards (private security guards of MWSS), who prevent them from tilling the land and thus cutting off their source of livelihood. The reason behind all of these is the planned Nature Park of Bantay Kalikasan, an ecotourism project. This research study then hopes to expose the acts perpetrated by the Lopez family and their ally, MWSS, on the farmers of Sitio Calumpit-Seedling; all in the name of environmentalism.