The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) acknowledges the importance of Christmas as a season of reflection, gratitude, and unity. However, President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s Christmas message fails to resonate with millions of Filipinos, particularly farmers, who continue to suffer from poverty, landlessness, and state neglect under his administration.

While the President speaks of love, peace, and happiness, the daily realities faced by the rural poor tell a different story. For millions of landless farmers and agricultural workers, the so-called “Bagong Pilipinas” remains nothing more than empty words. Land grabbing, agricultural liberalization, climate disasters, and militarization persist as perennial issues that the Marcos administration has ignored or even exacerbated.

For farmers, a truly meaningful Christmas would mean a society where there is social justice. It means a government that genuinely prioritizes land distribution, breaking the monopolies of landlords and political dynasties that have long oppressed the rural poor. It means providing economic support for farmers in the form of subsidies, fair pricing, and debt relief, so they can rise from poverty and sustain their families.

It means ending the militarization of rural areas and holding accountable those responsible for violence and displacement in farming communities. It means confronting the climate crisis head-on by promoting community-driven agroecological practices, rather than enabling corporate-driven projects that destroy the environment and displace communities. These are not abstract wishes—they are concrete, actionable measures that farmers have long demanded and continue to fight for.

As we look ahead to a tumultuous 2025, we encourage Filipino farmers to remain steadfast in their collective struggle. The coming year will be another test of our resilience, but also an opportunity to further advance our demands for genuine agrarian reform and social justice. We call on farmers and rural advocates to organize, mobilize, and build stronger solidarity to confront the persistent injustices that plague the countryside.

To our fellow Filipinos, let us honor the true spirit of Christmas by standing in solidarity with the farmers who toil to feed the nation. Together, we must hold the Marcos Jr administration accountable and strive for meaningful change. Only through the collective effort of the people can we achieve the love, peace, and happiness that Christmas symbolizes.