News
Mass struggles advancing in Southern Tagalog

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

People�s struggles against widespread landgrabbing, the US-Estrada regime�s brazen fascist rule and ever-increasing landfill and quarrying operations are advancing in Southern Tagalog.

Land-use conversion. Peasant and fi sherfolk organizations are protesting the prevalent landgrabbing and conversion of agricultural land, fishing areas, coastal communities and forests by landlords and local and foreign capitalists.

Among the projects being resisted are Fil-Estate, Sta. Lucia Realty and Manila Southcoast Development Corporation�s Harbortown in Nasugbu, Batangas; the Batulao Nature City in a 1,300-hectare farmland in Patugo, Balayan; the Pentaport Project in North Quezon; the conversion of Laguna Lake and Taal Lake and the privatization of almost all of the region�s coastal areas. Aside from exposing the widespread dislocation, poverty and hunger wrought by land use conversion, the farmers are also advancing the call for genuine land reform.

Militarization. The people of Southern Tagalog continue to expose and op pose the US-Estrada regime�s Oplan Makabayan, which in a span of more than a year has resulted in 378 cases of illegal arrest, torture and detention; 14 cases of summary execution; 23 cases of massacre; and five disappearances. Victimized by illegal searches and forced evacuations were 225 families. The military also destroyed 14 houses.

There are currently 12 AFP combat battalions, two PNP battalions, CAFGU and other paramilitary forces deployed in the region.

Quarrying. The people are rallying against a growing number of quarries that are harmful to the people and the environment. Widespread quarrying is part of the CALABARZON and MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) programs that benefit electric power plants, roads, international ports, subdivisions and industrial estates. Today, major quarrying sites in the region may be found in Rizal; Laguna; Sariaya, Quezon; Maragondon and Ternate, Cavite; and Tuy and Ilijan, Batangas.

Garbage. Protests are also being waged against the mindless dumping of growing volumes of garbage in landfills in Southern Tagalog. The tons of garbage from Manila and multinational and transnational factories that are being dumped in San Mateo, Rizal; Carmona, Cavite; and Mabitac and Paete, Laguna pose hazards to the people�s health and the environment.

06 May 2000
English Edition

	Editoryal: Resist the anti-Moro war of the US-Estrada regime!
	The vicious anti-Moro war
	At what price?
	Interview with Ka Roger
	All-out imposition of imperialist dictates on the economy
	Tattered safety nets
	The workers� movement Intensifying mass struggles
	Intensifying oppression and suppression of youth and students
	Ka Roger�s Message to Jenina Buan
	NDFP rescinds order to release prisoner of war
	Continuing economic stagnation in Japan
	News Mass struggles advancing in Southern Tagalog
	News