Government Divided by Land

The peasant says: “The land is God’s, the land is the people’s, the land is nobody’s.” The “divisionists” tell us that the peasant says this without realising what he is saying; that he says one thing and means another.
You want to transfer the land to the people? Excellent! But what does transferring the land to the people mean? Who controls the people’s wealth and the people’s property? The government officials, the Trepovs.
Hence-we will explain to the peasants- if the land is to be transferred to the whole people in a way that will benefit the peasants, it is necessary to ensure that all government officials, without exception are elected by the people.

Minutes of the Unity Congress of the R.S.D.L.P., Vol 10, p.287

Upon reading the passage, I can’t help but to glance back on the history of our country. I know that during the pre-Hispanic times, everything is communal. In a primitive Filipino community, no one claimed to own a certain land for example, for everything is shared, and everything is everybody’s own. Not until the Hispanic time when the colonizers started to spread the feudal culture. From this culture as root, Encomienda then Hacienda system sprouted. The specialization of the crops to be planted, the ownership of big mass of land of a small group of people, which usually is a single family/clan, the continuous exploitation of the peasants and the like have been long experienced by most of our folks.

Philippines is undeniably an agricultural country, and it is not surprising to know that 75% of its population are farmers. The land plays a crucial role in a Filipino’s life. It is where life begins, sustained, and if there’s a need, is ended. The peasant sector of our society who owns nothing but farming skills comprises most of our population and in the lowest part of the social triangle. They were oftenly workers found in haciendas and it is, logical to think that those who are in the higher part of the social strata were continuously taking advantage on them.

These people were oftenly deprived with the most basic social services like education and health benefits which any Filipino must be experienced. As a result, most born being a peasant usually dies to be one. This makes them stagnant and was stigmatized to be ignorant.

It is blatant that most of the officials of our government were landlords. With this case, laws which will aim for the betterment of the peasants at the expense of their WEALTH were impossible to be passed and regulated.

According to the last line of the passage, it is necessary to ensure that all government officials, without exception are elected by the people. It is timely because of the coming national elections, with the loop-holed Automated Election System as a side-dish. Choosing the right person in the right position is already a problem. And now, after attending a Voter’s education regarding the process of AES, flaws of the result for the incoming election is for sure. The machines vulnerability on manipulation, plus the program malfunction and the sort will not ensure a more valid and correct counting and canvassing compared to the process of human clerical intervention on automation which for how many years was used.

At this point when the Philippine society is at the verge of insanity caused by the exploiters which happen to be our countrymen from the higher social class, it is most important to be critical. The genuine spirit of service amongst the vying politicians is hard to unravel. Electing politicians not merely in their ultra-exposure on advertisements in all forms of media and being censorious with it will help much, for sure.

We live with the law and with control of the leaders of our society. Choosing the right leaders, and ensuring that the coming elections will bear a veracious result- this will surely lead to a better society from desirable governance based on true public service.



Joanne Orias