Bishop to landowners: Be compassionate this Christmas
BACOLOD CITY -- Diocese of Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra appealed once again to all concerned government agencies and at the same time to the landowners to be generous and compassionate as we celebrate tomorrow our bountiful Christmas Day.
"My Christmas message is -- Let everyone concerned: The government people and the landowners, allow themselves to be disturbed by the demeaning situation of our poor unfortunate farmers. Let everyone concerned listen to the legitimate cries of the poor of Uahweh," Bishop Navarra said as he gave his Christmas Message.
He appealed to the parishioners and Negrenses to open the door of their hearts, generosity and compassion as Christian love will make a difference in our own lives, in the lives of these poor farmers and the whole province of Negros Occidental.
Navarra pointed out that on December 17, 2008, 3:45 p.m., he was serenaded with Christmas carols by a group of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) that came from La Castellana, Murcia, Isabela and Moises Padilla.
The bishop observed that the group sang Ilonggo popular Christmas songs and the lyrics speak of the sad and miserable plight of the ARBs.
Navarra also received information from the farmers that the lands belong to them because of the existing CLOA titles. "...the Government and its agencies concerned did not give them any support, in whatever form. So it's almost next to impossible for them to till their land and make it productive. As a matter of fact, in order to meet their pressing needs for any particular day, many were obliged to sell or to lease it to persons, who only took advantage of them, reducing them to a more pitiable and debasing condition, " Navarra lamented.
He likewise cited that in Manila recently, fifteen Negros farmers went on hunger strike. They demanded their Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) to be honored and they be given the land they are entitled to own. Lately, these farmers were joined by Bishop Pabillo, chairman of CBCP Social Action Commission, but their protest and cries for justice seem to fall into deaf ears. "For me, these and other similar incidents are the exact picture of that first early evening before Christmas, Mary and Joseph were knocking at every door looking for shelter. But they were refused. "There was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7).