RTV prepare the youth for upcoming elections

Delegates from Viewpoint, Genre, and PHINMA Scholars listen attentively to the speaker,
 Maya Santos from KPL National Office.

Kabataan Partylist-Nueva Ecija Chapter (KPL-NE) and College Editors Guild of the Philippines Central Luzon (CEGP-CL) joined forces to organize Rock the Vote (RTV): Voter's Education Seminar last May 3 at Bishop Balce Hall, St. Nicolas of Tolentine Cathedral, Cabanatuan City.

RTV provided an avenue for the student and youth leaders to learn the important role of the youth for responsible practice of the right of suffrage, as well as the prospect of genuine social change through the mobilization of the youth. Student-leaders and student-journalists (specifically from Viewpoint and Genre) attended the said event, along with delegates from PHINMA Scholars Society. Guest speakers included Mark Troy Oliva and Maya Santos of KPL National Office and Butch Miranda of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL).

The event ended with the formation of committee for RTV Nueva Ecija. Jerome Estavillo, Deputy Secretary General, CEGP-CL

Mga magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon, nagtipon para sa KALBARYO NG BAYAN

Special report for Community Development

Matagumpay na naisagawa ang "KALBARYO NG BAYAN", isang penitensya ng mga manggagawang bukid at kabataan ng Nueva Ecija nitong nakaraang ika-26 ng Marso sa pangunguna ng Samahan ng mga Magsasaka Laban sa CLEx at sa pakikipagtulungan ng Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL).

Ang nasabing penitensya ay nagsimula sa isang misa sa Iglesia Filipina Independiente sa bayan ng Nampicuan, at tumuloy sa mga kalapit bayan na Cuyapo, Guimba, Sto. Domingo, Quezon, at Aliaga.

Ang penitensyang bayan ay isinagawa bilang protesta sa pagtatayo ng Central Luzon Expressway (CLEx) at ng North Luzon East Expressway (NLEEx) at magpanawagan para sa isang maka-masang sistema ng transportasyon. Kalbaryo sa mga magsasaka at mamamayan ng Nueva Ecija ang proyektong Central Luzon Expressway Phase 1 at 2  (CLEx) at North Luzon Expressway - East (NLEx East), ayon sa Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson - Nueva Ecija (AMGL – Nueva Ecija), Alyansa ng Mamamayan Laban sa CLEx (ALMA-CLEx), AMGL at Anakpawis Partylist-Gitnang Luzon, dahil ito ay magtutulak ng  malawakang pangangamkam ng lupa at pagpapalayas sa mga magsasaka at mga manggagawang bukid.

Sa kabila ng magandang intensyon, nakaranas pa rin ng pananakot at kawalang respeto ang makatwiran, lehitimo, at mapayapang pagkilos na ito ng mga magsasaka mula sa pwersa ng kapulisan.Dan Kevin Roque

Peasant Struggle in Nueva Ecija

Prepared by: Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) 

Land use classification of Nueva Ecija

Significance of the Province

Nueva Ecija is publicly known as the rice-granary of the Philippines.  Its vast agricultural lands are cultivated with rice that farmers consider their main source of livelihood.  Rice cultivation is also the culture of Nueva Ecija farmers.  The province’ 158,269-hectare rice lands ranked 2nd in the country, but irrigated lands of 119,459-hectares are the biggest among provinces.  It also ranked 2nd in production, harvesting about 560,379 metric tons or 7.29 million sacks of rice, but first in irrigated palay of 462,185 metric tons.  Its production compose 9% of the country’s total and 43% of the region’s total.  Irrigated lands compose about 75% of the its total rice lands, thus, it is very clear that agriculture is distinguishedly productive.  Rice farms yield about 80 to 100 cavans per hectare with some reaching to 120 cavans.  Plain lands in the province are more than half which are of high potential for agricultural production.

Essential to the province’ agricultural productivity, are the farmers who sturdily cultivate rice lands that compose about 28% of it total land area of 575,133-hectares. The province’ population compose 19% of the region ranking 3rd and its land area 27% being the biggest.  Nueva Ecija also composed majority of the farmer-beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).  Based on its 2010 accomplishment, 95,855 Nueva Ecija farmer-beneficiaries compose 36% of the region’s total tilling 169,375-hectares or 42% of the region’s total. 

Nueva Ecija is totally a significant province in the country, contributing majorly in the country’s total rice supply and it is also a model of the bankruptcy of CARP as the government’s claimed number of FBs is questionable as farmers are presently facing massive cancellations of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA), Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT) and Emancipation Patents (EP).  Rice production is also threatened by the government’s program that would result vast land use conversion.  Nueva Ecija is a potential  ground for the struggle for genuine land reform and its farmers a powerful force of the peasant movement.