Study Experience in Negros, Philippines
From August 2nd to 8th I participated in the study experience trip to the sugar cane island of the Philippines, Negros Occidental. It was sponsored by the Federation of Major Superiors of Women’s JPIC and organized by the Japan Committee for Negros Campaign (JCNC), led by Kazuo Tomas Kobayashi. He had been a Catholic Lay Missionary in Panay Island before joining JCNC so he can speak Ilongo and is very well acquainted with the people, and their helping organizations. He was an excellent guide and interpreter, praying with us daily, and giving us background information while interpreting for us. Ten sisters from ９different congregations made up the group
We were heartily welcomed by the staff members of the Filipino NGO, ALTER TRADE GROUP working with JCNC (founded 1986) in order to improve the living standards of former landless “sacadas”, sugarcane cutters. Alter Trade has several branches working to obtain fair trade markets for “Balangon” bananas, brown sugar (Mascobado), coffee、and other products through cooperatives in Japan. From an initial market of three consumers’ cooperatives in Japan, the Balangon bananas of Negros now cater to more than one million members of twelve cooperatives. Alter Trade is now the biggest fair trader in the Philippines.
As far as possible the farming is done organically and sustainably. PAP 21, People’s Agricultural Plan for 21 Century, a partner organization, runs an experimental, teaching farm and sends agriculturalists to the upland areas where farmers are learning to develop and diversify their newly acquired land for both self-sustenance and also marketing products. The law requires powerful landowners to distribute more than 2 million hectares of land to the poor people. Since these wealthy people run congress, they are trying to pass a bill that will return the land to themselves.
Upon reflecting on this story in the light of the Gospel, the parable of the wicked husbandmen (Mt. 21:33, Mk 12:1, Luke 20:9) came to mind. God our creator is the owner of this land. Absentee landowners have unfairly laid claim to vast acres, left managers to run a feudal system, and all the little people, sons and daughters of God, our main manager, are treated like slaves and forced to live subhumanly. “No peace without justice” rings in my mind.
We had one home stay in a farming community in La Castellana where families have small plots of land for growing rice, peanuts, bananas, vegetables, and live in their own homes, small and simple. In Murcia we visited banana growers, and were treated to boiled corn, peanuts, and sweet potatoes, the new fruits of their united efforts. In Bago we ‘inspected’ the old and new sugar mill where the brown sugar is produced. We learned that the white sugar we normally consume has been stripped of its molasses nutrients and 21 chemicals are used to refine white sugar. Mascobado (brown) sugar is a safe product.
Although still poor and struggling, the situation of the farmers involved in cooperatives is an improvement over being landless sugar plantation workers, with no skills and no work or salary during the so-called ‘dead period’ between the end of the sugar harvest and processing and the next planting season.
We, also, visited a new kindergarten built by the Good Samaritan Sisters, where 63 four and five year olds attend either a morning or an afternoon session.
I tried to be present to this developing world reality using the framework of the eight Millennium Goals established by the United Nations. By the year 2015 the aim is to make significant strides to improve the plight of the world’s poor people in the following areas.
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
In Negros all these problems are present, and in the few days we were with Alter Trade and PAP 21 staff members I was touched by their vision and the concrete means through which they are working hard in order to implement progress in these eight areas. They did acknowledge, however, that to make a significant difference in the lives of these struggling, oppressed people will take more time than projected:
1. The “sacadas” were dying of starvation in the 1970’s and ‘80’s when the price of sugar plummeted during Marcos’ martial law time. We gathered around their tables and relished the fruits of their hard labor on their own land.
2. The children living in the mountainous areas have to walk long distances to school. They make the effort, but barely make it through primary school. Few persevere through Middle and High School due to distance, expense, and the need of more laborers on the farms.
3. The women are included in the farm and community development programs. We met some very active women leaders. They work with the church to establish Basic Ecclesial Communities. Of course, many women were very shy and remained in the shadows with their children. We had hoped to hear even more from them.
4 & 5. The support organizations and the city send health workers to the distant communities and give them group classes on hygiene, health problems, pre and post natal care and more. Conditions are primitive. Many women given birth in their homes with self appointed midwives. People age quickly.
6. Although not rampant, malaria and dengue fever are still real concerns.
7. Sustainability is a main objective of these programs.
8. As mentioned in the above report the Alter Trade Group and PAP 21 are all about partnership. “From two countries (Japan and Switzerland) in 1988, Mascobado (sugar) is now being exported to a total of nine countries all around the world.
I wish to remain in contact with the people involved in this significant grassroots effort in Negros. Two recently published books about the reality are:
Negros, My Love by Ohashi Seiko (J)
Boss Danding by Earl Parreno (J & E)
Gwendolyn Hoeffel rscj
Province of Japan
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