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Ellesse Gem S.

Aulmo BSN 3A1 Reaction Paper: Hacienda Luisita I have read from Wikipedia that Hacienda Luisita is a 6,435hectare plantation estate located in Tarlac, Philippines, owned by the Cojuangco family. It spans various towns in the province. The hacienda is primarily within the 2nd District and 1st District of Tarlac.The estate is as large as the cities of Makati and Pasig combined. How big is that? It passed through the Spanish era, American period, Japanese regime and even used by Mc Arthur as headquarters and finally, purchased by Pepe Cojuangco. The Spanish owners was pushed to sell the hacienda because of the rebellion of the Hukbalahap. But then, Ramon Magsaysay blocked the selling of the Hacienda to the Lopezes because it will only make them more powerful. So Magsaysay offered the land to Jose Cojuangco or Pepe. He purchased it through a loan from the GSIS and a dollar loan from the Manufacturers Trust Company of New York, which was guaranteed by the Central Bank of the Philippines and he anaegd the land with the help of the late Ninoy Aquino. I dont know if I am correct, but in my own understanding, they used the money of he Philippines to purchase the land. So to make the story short, technically, it belongs to the people. There are 5,339 workers of Hacienda Luisita that are still waiting for the land that they are asking. There are two President Cojuangcos but they seemed to ignore these poor men. They have rights on those lands. In the article The Hacienda Luisita swindle, it revealed what the Cojuangcos did and how they used their power to keep the land that they are claiming. It seems like that they are that greedy of their wealth. It is a huge land and I think it wouldnt count if they will give half of it to their workers who also gave their blood and sweat to improve and maintain that hacienda. I dont think that there has to be 12 farmers and two more children shall die because of this land.

Mary Con B. Cura BSN-3A1

Reaction Paper: Hacienda Luisita


Hacienda Luisita is said to be ownes by the people of the Philippines because the money used by the said-to-be owner Jose Cojuangco purchased it through a loan which is approved by the governor of the of the Central Bank of the Philippines. I believe that the former and late President Cory Aquino even trashed the case about the Hacienda Luisita. They wont let go of the land that must be given to the people of Tarlac. Imagine, it is as big as Makati and Pasig combined and they stated that the agricultural portions is only about 5, 176 hectares and the only part of the pie that each of them will get is only 0.78 hectare which cannot even provide the livelihood of the beneficiaries. President Noynoy was asked about the land and he said he only owns less than 1% of that land and if they going to give their part, the farmers will only suffer and how are they will be able to pay the debt of the land when they are not good in business negotiations. Noynoy has his point but I think the farmers wont understand this specially when what they really want is to get their lands. If the Cojuangcos will stick to what they believe in, they must explain this to the farmers calmly and the share with the profit must be equal. His stand is hard because it is between the people who helped them and treat as their own family and his own family. Maybe if I were in is place I would think of it for more than 100 times and then talk to my family because maybe above anybody, they are the ones who will understand me most.

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