Dahican Invasion

Farmers want DAR-XI chief out

On May 24-25, some 200 farmers  belonging to the Davao Oriental Farmers and Farmworkers Alliance (DOFFA) staged a protest at the DAR-XI compound for the alleged “illegal exemption order” issued by DAR-XI regional director Yusoph Mama for the large real estates in Davao Oriental even as there is an ongoing process for coverage under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

As no one from the DAR would willing to  face them, the farmers barged towards the gate and marched towards the office of the regional director. Apparently, Mama was not around. One of his staff told the media that his boss is in Manila.

Farmers hit order exempting haciendas in Davao Oriental from Carp

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/24 May) — Some 200 farmers forcibly entered the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – XI  compound in Barangay Catalunan Pequeño on Tuesday and demanded the resignation of DAR-XI chief Yusoph Mama for his alleged illegal order exempting large estates in Davao Oriental from the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The farmers, belonging to the Davao Oriental Farmers and Farmworkers Alliance (DOFFA), started to converge at the gate of the DAR compound at 10am and burned coconut husks and coconut shells to symbolize their protest against the exemption order.

The lone security guard failed to stop the agitated farmers.

Thirty minutes later, the farmers barged towards the gate and marched to the office of the regional director. [read full story]

Anyway, this slideshow is just an experimental work — combining a raw audio recorded from the picket line and few photographs — and this is a rough edit.

Rattan-made hammocks from Davao Oriental

This group of vendors from Gov. Generoso in Davao Oriental are waiting for any hauler truck to transport their rattan-made hammocks from Panacan in Davao  City to Koronadal City. Smaller hammocks cost P380 while the bigger ones cost P780. The vendors would normally pay P1,000 to the truck crew.