Bukidnon farmers seek voiding
of ranchers' grazing lease pacts

BUKIDNON farmers and indigenous peoples are demanding that Environment Secretary Lito Atienza cancel the Forest Land Grazing Lease Agreements (FLGLAs) signed between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and ranch owners in Bukidnon.

The farmers belonging to Alyansa Bukidnon-Task Force Mapalad said the ranch owners have violated the agreement by converting timberland into agri-business plantations of pineapple, sugarcane and jathropa.

Alyansa Bukidnon, which has been picketing the DENR and Department of Agrarian Reform offices in Region 10 since July 21, counts as members at least six separate and distinct farmers and indigenous peoples groups. The group picketed the DENR central office in Quezon City last Thursday for its alleged noncommittal stance on the issue of violations committed by politically influential owners of five major ranches in Bukidnon.

Bae Merlina Dumotan, 31-year-old head of the Talaandig people living in Maramag, Bukidnon outside the Baclig and Manzano Ranch, said the 472-hectare Baclig Ranch now being managed by businessman Alan Uy has been converted into a pineapple plantation under Natures Fresh Pineapples Inc.

Merlina said this is a violation of the FLGLA which only allows 20 hectares to be cultivated for food production. "Hindi na baka ang inalaagaan nila sa rancho kundi mga tubo, pinya at jathropa. Ang pinyahan umaabot sa 100 ektarya at 10 ektarya para sa cassava at tuba-tuba (jathropa)," the Taalandig head said.

The group also said the 456-hectare Manzano Ranch is now largely planted with sugarcane and a small portion of the area is devoted to raising fighting cocks, while the 820-hectare Timoteo Ocaya ranch has few grazing cattle and now serves as base of the family business Circle T Development Corp.

TFM said the DENR Legal Services has already recommended the cancellation of Circle T's FLGLA for failure to pay rental and surcharges, non-submission of annual grazing report, cash bond deposit and surety bond.

DENR undersecretary Manuel Gerochi said they will fast-track the process after the case is resolved at the regional level.

The Bukidnon farmers have a pending application for Community Based Forest Management that will involve production-sharing between a people's organization and the DENR to develop, utilize, manage and conserve a specific portion of the forest land consistent with the principles of sustainable development. A CBFM is good for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years.