The largest and most militant farmer’s organization in the Philippines the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted the proposed coco levy deal hatched by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the camp of Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco. 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of the group, and himself a small coconut farmer from Bicol, “it is obvious that the PCGG, DA and Danding are orchestrating a grand sell-out of the small coconut farmer’s interest. This is a reprehensible ploy to again rob the coco farmers of their hard earned and long fought for funds,”

“The proponents of the coco compromise does not understand the hardships and sacrifices we endured just to eke a living and struggle for what is rightfully ours. It is like they are putting salt on our wounds. The PCGG, the DA and especially Danding have no right to bargain for the small coconut farmers, we are the ones who decide what is to happen with the coco levy funds because it is ours,” added the peasant leader.

On the other hand Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “the position of our 1.3million strong membership is that the coco levy funds should be immediately returned to the small coconut farmers and junk the coco levy deal. The timing of the proposed deal is also dubious considering that DA Sec. Arthur Yap as well as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself is under fire, it may be just another diversionary tactic of the regime,”

“It is in this light that we are calling for the resignation of Yap, Sabio and Gloria they have done nothing to alleviate the plight of farmers and are only adding to their burden by proposing onerous deals. This deal’s primary objective is not to help the small coconut farmers but to exonerate Danding from his crimes and make money out of it in the process,” ended Ramos. 

At the least KMP have 100,000 small coconut farmer members. # # # 
 

KMP - 17June 2005