Bulacan farmers rap land conversion

BOCAUE, Bulacan — Bulacan farmers staged a mini-rally here Friday against the massive conversion of agricultural lands into residential, industrial, commercial and recreational purposes.

Pablo Rosales, chairperson of the Pambansang Katipunan ng Makabayang Magbubukid (PKMM), an allied organization of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya, said the province, the closest source of agricultural produce, particularly rice, for Metro Manila, is fast losing its green fields to land developers putting up housing subdivisions, industrial estates, commercial establishments and even golf courses.

During their dialogue in Barangay Sulucan in this town, the Bulacan farmers and their leaders pointed in particular to the conversion of farmlands in San Rafael town into a golf course.

The farmers said the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in Barangay Coral na Bato in San Rafael has left the farmers further impoverished as they were not benefited by the said conversion.

Some 850,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands have been targeted as tourism-development areas and the figures get higher with unreported land use conversions all over the country, Rosales said.

The farmers thus appealed to the President to intervene and correct the situation. — James Mananghaya