Farmers strongly opposed the renewed push by Senator Allan Peter Cayetano for the AFP and PNP Camp Development Fund Act, a bill that seeks to allocate ₱5 billion annually over five years to improve military and police camps. In total, Cayetano’s proposal would set aside ₱50 billion for projects such as building “wellness and sports facilities” and improving internet connectivity inside the camps.

According to the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), this is “fascist home improvement”, rewarding state armed forces notorious for abuses and fascism against the poorest sectors of society—farmers and fisherfolk. The group condemned the use of funds to improve the camps of these fascist forces, who are primarily responsible for the destruction of their homes and farms.

“While landlords and compradors use the police and military to seize farmers’ lands and demolish their homes, the state plans to glamorize the camps of these traitors and butchers?” UMA national chairperson Ariel “Ka Ayik” Casilao said.

Allocating a huge budget to military and police camps is despicable while thousands of farming families lose their homes and livelihoods. For instance, more than 900 homes in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac are at risk of being demolished to make way for a 290-hectare estate owned by the wealthy Ayala, Lorenzo, and Cojuangco families.

In Zambales, over 100 families lost their homes to land grabbers conniving with business entities like San Miguel Corporation, which is involved in operating a coal power plant in the area. When farmers defended their community, police arrested five members of their association.

“We must firmly reject the proposal to once again squander the nation’s coffers on fascism,” Casilao said. “Prices of goods are skyrocketing, hunger persists even in food-producing communities, and it is a grave injustice to waste public funds in oppressing the toiling masses instead of allocating them for production subsidies, wage support, housing programs, and genuine agrarian reform.”