Twenty-eight farmworkers from Hacienda Lolita, Barangay Luna, Cadiz City, Negros Oriental filed a complaint against landlord Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr recently. Valderrama is the president of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (CONFED), The Sugar Association (TSA), and the VICMICO Planters Cooperative. He is also a former official of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

Farmworkers reported extremely low wages and inhumane working conditions in Hacienda Lolita. They filed a formal complaint with the Department of Labor and Employment and wrote to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr regarding their situation.

Workers in the hacienda receive only ₱2,500 every two weeks, or the equivalent of a ₱250 daily wage. This is less than half of the ₱520 minimum wage set by the government in Negros Occidental for agricultural workers. They are also denied their rightful 13th month pay, benefits, and 3% share in the Sugar Amelioration Bonus.

The workers’ exposure of their conditions forced the Department of Agriculture, SRA, Department of Agrarian Reform, and the local government to hold a dialogue with the farm workers. This was held in Bacolod City with lawyers from the National Union of People’s Lawyers. A representative from the National Federation of Sugar Workers-Kilusang Mayo Uno also attended to support the farmers.

Beyond their conditions, the farmers told government officials they faced intimidation and other forms of threats after exposing the abuse.

Meanwhile, landlord Valderrama immediately denied the accusations against him. Fellow sugar landlords quickly backed him, including the leader of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP).

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) called for a thorough investigation into the condition of farmers in Hacienda Lolita. The group demanded that the results of the investigation be made public.