Despite the onslaught of threats, the farmers of Sandigan ng Samahang Magsasaka (SASAMAG) in Tungkong Mangga, San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan have continued to resist through farming initiatives. Under the leadership of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB) and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), they have strengthened their efforts to cultivate the land. Women farmers, in particular, have been instrumental in building schools, daycare centers, and ecological farming practices. The community’s resilience is further bolstered by initiatives like community seed banks and farmers’ learning centers, which ensure that knowledge and resources are shared, even in the face of adversity.

More than 350 farming families in SJDM farming villages are still at risk of being displaced by land developers and oligarchs like Gregorio Araneta III, whose pursuit of profit comes at the expense of these communities’ rights and livelihoods. The urban sprawl in the city not only threatens these families but also jeopardizes the food security of entire communities. SASAMAG farmers are urgently calling for genuine land reform and an end to the violence, intimidation, and land-grabbing that have plagued their communities for decades.

The struggle of SASAMAG farmers is more than just a fight for land—it is a fight for dignity, for food security, and for the future of sustainable agriculture in the area. Their resistance is a testament to the enduring battle for genuine agrarian reform, and we stand in solidarity with their just cause. The land they cultivate feeds many, and their victory in the future will be a victory for all those who pursue the right to land and livelihood. #