Comments on: Fields of Sugar…

By: Adrian

Adrian — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:46:35 +0000

Land reform is so poorly institutionalized in our country but the program is riddled with one big problem and that is corruption! A few years ago the CARP compulsorily and without notice took our land which is now prime real estate in Bacolod City, even before they took it it was already earmarked by the city government for commercial/industrial land in 1966, CARP by Presidential Decree was issued in 1972. We are pursuing the case, and even if we are so near the results that would nullify the errouneous conversion we have yet to experience the cooperation of the DAR. The “benefactors” (they are not supposed to) have sold their shares of the property expecially the ones by the hiway and now there are commercial establishments that have been built there. We know there had been no justice for the original landowner but we cannot do anything until we get the support of the current DAR administraion to correct this unjust and unfair oversight of the “corruption” that has plagued this institution from the very begining.

By: wilby cariaga

wilby cariaga — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:34:18 +0000

My mom is from Tarlac, and her parents, bros and sis are farmers, their compund is surrounded with tall sugarcane plantations, you could get lost if you dare go inside those fields. . .

By: quiapo

quiapo — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:36:19 +0000

I wonder if anyone has any idea on the outcome of land reform, in terms of productivity. Talking to Filipino expats here in Australia, I was informed that in areas where land reform was first implemented, sales, even of necessities such as batteries, would plunge due to economic distress.
yet in socialsit countries such as Hungary and China, the small plot agriculture has been crucial in maintaining national productivity (as opposed to the large scale collectives).
I can understand land reform resulting in less productivity,
not only because of negating economies of scale, but also because production of agriculture is more than planting – there is a need for credit structures, planning, and distribution. A business is a business.

By: jules winnfield

jules winnfield — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:52:12 +0000

a relatively nearer place to see fields of sugar cane and experience the rural activities of this business, and probably just as scenic, is the drive down to nasugbu batangas.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:18:55 +0000

alilay and rushie, pretty good Thai jasmine is about $1.20 a kilo in Manila markets right now. That’s roughly 55 U.S. cents per pound, so it’s still cheaper here I guess…

By: alilay

alilay — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:24:36 +0000

rushie, that was cheap last Sunday I went to A-1 grocery on Sunset and a 25 lbs jasmine rice is $22

By: rushie

rushie — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:03:58 +0000

I asked my mom to buy a 50lb rice for me at a retail store [Sam’s Club] and was shocked that the price doubled from how much it cost couple of months ago! A 50-pound bag now costs $25! In addition to that, costumers are limited to purchase 4 bags at a time.

[Sigh] There sure is a rice shortage going on…

By: corrine

corrine — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:19:08 +0000

Jacob’s Mom, I’m not from LB but from Calamba. In the 70s, a trip from San Pedro to Calamba offers a good view of vast rice fields…now all real estate. When I was in my early 20s, I usually spent my vacation wandering through UPLB because my best friend lives there. Lots of my high school friends studied there. So sad that other Asian countries did better in cultivating rice– enough to export, despite IRRI being located in the Philippines. Yesterday, a rice vendor said that rice can reach about P40.00 per kilo.Maybe we should teach ourselves to eat sweet potato or corn? I think bread is more expensive.

By: kasseopeia

kasseopeia — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:58:30 +0000

My dad studied in UPLB and when he was still working in the country, we would take a trip once a month and it always included stopping at the DITRI and at IRRI.

Beautiful photos, MM. As always! :) If you hadn’t said they were sugarcane fields, I would’ve thought they were rice fields – the kind I see in my mother’s home province up north.

By: Lee

Lee — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:34:45 +0000

Bogo-Medellin sounds like the place in Colombia where the cocaine cartel rules