Promised Lands

Genaro and Helen Abina arrived in Carmen town in the province of Davao del Norte in Davao region, Mindanao, Philippines in 1996. In pursuant to the Republic Act 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in 1988, they are among the land beneficiaries of checkered Farms banana plantations in Panabo City, Philippines. But for almost three decades, they have been barred from entering their own land despite having a writ of execution issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The Checkered Farms Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative (CHARBEMPCO) joined the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) One Movement or AOM, composed of farmer-beneficiaries from different ARB organizations in Southern Mindanao region, to demand the DAR to issue their installation orders. They have been camping outside the DAR Provincial Capitol in Tagum City since September 27, 2017.

Genaro and Helen, together with AOM members and supporters, continue to pressure the government, raising their issue to the political center in Metro Manila through a people's caravan called "Lakbayan ng Magsasaka para sa Lupa at Laban sa Pasismo".