Renz Marco E.

Fineza
3-EAC

Prof. Cucio
History II

Reaction Paper on the documentary

Sa ngalan ng tubo
Conflicts concerning land are never new to us; we can trace it back to a very long time to
see that in equality and disparity between the landlord and their workers. History will tell us that
thousands of years before we were born the problem was already being experienced almost by
every society throughout the country and most likely throughout the world. It maybe a clich
scene for the younger generations because it was used many times in a movie or series, but the
times that those people were experiencing in real life, were just hard to swallow. A lot of the
young once may not know but we also had this kind of struggle of fighting for what is right and
fighting for what is for us against the rich and powerful capitalist.
It was a fight that involves one of the most if not the most prominent name in the Philippines,
the Cojuangco-Aquino. People may have only remind them as the two names that changed the
landscape of our history by succeeding the two most hated if not hated Presidents of our country.
But afar from what they thought to us back in history classes they were a lot of things left unsaid
and unexpanded. One of those is the issue of involving the Central Azucarera de Tarlac and
Hacienda Luisita. We have to remind ourselves that during the Spanish occupation feudalism
was radically being implemented by the conquistadors, in which they forcedly claim the land of
the indio as their own, furthermore the Filipinos were forced to work for the Spaniards and also
forced to pay taxes for the and they actually own. When the Americans came and gave us
independence they gave us a new feudalism system among us Filipinos that was the root cause of
another wedge between the tillers and their land. Before the Cojuangco bought the land it was
first owned by Compana General de tabacos a land that they acquire in 1882 from Spanish
Crown. In 1958 the Coujuangco family officially bought the land with the help form the loan
GSIS granted them one interesting note that we have to give notice were the terms and condition
that was replaced by Jose Cojuangco ,Sr. Under GSIS resolution t was stated there that it will be
subdivided among the tenants who shall pay the cost thereof under reasonable terms and

condition . However it was rephrased is amended to shall pay at cost to tenants, should there
be any. Under the terms and agreement that the land will be distributed to the tillers for ten
years and subsequently ten years after no action was made by the cojuangcos saying that no one
was there when they acquire the land so they have no beneficiaries, it was the reason that they
will hold into for years. Marcos administration made its move in trying to convince the family to
give the land that is rightfully belongs to the farmers. And this marks the beginning of a long
struggle and battle-cry for the land that was not given to them. The root cause of their anger
blistered when then President promised during her campaign that she will assure that her family
will finally distribute and give the land to the farmers, however upon her election he passed the
Comprehensive Agrarian reform that lead the passing of SDO distribution with regards to the
manner of distribution. It was in that law that the cojuangcos will only give stocks to the farmers
instead of land making them just stock holders. It starts the endless protest that led to
harassments and violation of human rights with regards to the farmers. It lead to the Mendiola
Massacre where in 12 farmers were killed, and the Cojuangco family cover the whole story up
and get away with the law that should have sued them. For years the workers of hacienda risk
their lives in trying to get something that they rightfully own but the rich and powerful just
barely escaping the law and enjoying the whole lot by themselves. Fast forward to 2010, when
Ninoy, Cory and Ninoy son, ran for presidency and the hope of having the land distributed to the
farmers were as vivid as ever. But all the hopes of glimmer is running out mainly because P-Noy
is almost at the end of his term and the hope of a result is still far from the reality. The struggles
of the farmers can best represent our nation as a whole, that no matter how hard we fight back,
he more powerful will always make us feel small and over power us. Hoping that time will come
the powerhouse cojuangco family can finally see the value that their farmers had given to them
and it is now time to give them what they truly deserve.