UPDATE (Philippines): Food assistance assured to families of farmers suffering of hunger in Alabel, Sarangani province, Mindanao

[Re: HA-25-2005: Unfairly sacked farm labourers in Mindanao forced to eat poisonous frogs and corncobs due to abject poverty and lack of food]

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to inform you that the provincial and municipal office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Alabel, Sarangani province, Mindanao has assured villagers that it will afford food assistance to families of farmers suffering hunger due to abject poverty (HA-25-2005). A reliable source said that 17 families will be included in the program.

The AHRC appreciates the response by both the local government and social welfare department; however, there are still reports of alleged misconduct and insensitivity by government employees in dealing with the victims of hunger. It was reported that some victims were reprimanded for making complaints and questioned as to why they need assistance.

The AHRC asks you to contact Mr. Hermelo Latoja, the head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), urging him to ensure that the food assistance is properly distributed to the hunger victims.  An inquiry must be conducted regarding the alleged misconduct by some welfare staff and appropriate sanctions imposed if the allegations are true.

Further, please urge the local and provincial government of Sarangani, Mindanao to initiate steps to ensure food security to its constituents.

Urgent Appeals Desk – Hunger Alert
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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UPDATED INFORMATION:

The AHRC has earlier reported that at least 16 farmers have had to eat poisonous frogs in order to survive due to abject poverty (HA-25-2005). The affected families of farmers, who are members of the Sarangani Agrarian Reforms Beneficiaries (Sarbco), were unfairly sacked from the banana plantation where they were formerly work for protesting against their company.

After the incident was reported, the social welfare department conducted interviews to each of the families of the victims. They later asked each of the victims to secure a certificate from the barangay (community) officials of Maribulan, Alabel indicating their present hunger conditions.

In the certificate issued to victims, the Barangay chairman Julio R. Emnace, has confirmed the AHRC’s report that the victims are indeed ‘jobless and suffer lack of food’. The certificates were then submitted by the victims to the Department of Social Welfare and Development office (DSWD) in the municipality and province. It was also reported that the municipal government of Alabel, Sarangani is expected to afford appropriate assistance to victims.

However, it was learned that some officials of barangay Maribulan, Alabel, reportedly reprimanded some of the victims. One of them allegedly said that the barangay should ignore letters coming from abroad regarding the hunger and starvation cases in their village as the victims did not inform them.

Nevertheless, the barangay chair issued the certificates, which eventually became the basis for intervention by the DSWD. It was later found out that 17 families, all of them former Sarangani Agricultural Company Incorporated (Saci) employees who were terminated for protesting against the company, are in need of assistance.

It was also learned that there is an existing programme under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to afford livelihood assistance to affected families, but it has not been implemented yet. The said livelihood program is purposely for the victims to have alternative livelihoods and sources of income, in particular those terminated from their work.

Even though there is such a programme under the DAR, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (Paro) Mr. Faisal Tumog, has not acted to implement it swiftly. It was reported that the Paro instead required the Sarbco members, including the victims of hunger, to submit livelihood proposals rather than taking up the lead role to implement the program.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send letters to the heads of the Municipal and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development offices. Urge them to closely monitor and ensure that food assistance to hunger victims is properly distributed. The duration of the assistance must last as the situation warrants. The provincial department must also initiate an inquiry regarding reports of misconduct by its staff. Please also send letters to the head of the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (Paro) asking him to implement the livelihood program for affected farmers without delay.

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