INC and the Hacienda Luisita

(Barrio Maligaya Resettlement beside Bagong Buhay Resettlement)

I had a research about the INC and Hacienda Luisita, if you have any knowledge about what happened please comment on this post. I havent watch the said "documentary" made by the church on the 1st anniversary of Brgy. Maligaya resettlement on the experiences of the brethren in the Hacienda. Please correct me if i have mistakes about the story.


This is my understanding about what happened:

My source about the story, click here. The Hacienda Luisita is a 6,435-hectare sugar plantation estate located in the province of Tarlac, Philippines, owned by the Cojuangco family, which includes the late former President Corazon Aquino and her son, incumbent President Benigno Aquino III. It spans various municipalities in the province, including the capital Tarlac City. (source: wikipedia)

There are many INC members who worked here, even until today. On May 8, 1964, 115 INC workers resigned in the UNION as it is prohibited in the church, to join LABOR UNIONS. But the UNION said it is unconstitutional because they are signed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement of August 2, 1962, for a period of 3 years.

This is a battle of INC workers vs. UNION, Tarlac development Corporation and Court of Industrial Relations in court.

The INC workers resigned on the UNION because of the circular from the church, dated April 1, 1959:

TANGGAPAN NG IGLESIA NI CRISTO
154 Riverside, San Juan, Rizal Abril 1, 1959

SA LAHAT NG MGA KAPATID SA IGLESIA NI CRISTO SA KAPULUANG PILIPINAS

Buong higpit na aming ibinababala sa inyo na sinomang kapatid sa Iglesia ay huwag aanib sa anumang uri ng kapisanan o samahang labas sa Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ang sinomang kapatid na sa kasalukuyan ay kaanib sa anumang uri ng kapisanan o samahan, ay dapat na umalis at huwag ng kailanman uugnay sa mga ito. Ito ay salig sa utos ng Dios na tayo ay 'huwag makikipamatok ng kabilang sa mga hindi sumasampalataya' (II Cor. 6:14).

Si ROSENDO PAULINO, dating kaanib sa Iglesia ni Cristo, ay itiniwalag sa Iglesia mula ngayon. Siya ay itiniwalag sa Iglesia hindi lamang dahil sa ayaw niyang umalis sa kapisanang kaniyang kinaaniban kundi naman kaniya pang ipinagkanulo ang Iglesia. Kaya, itinatagubilin namin sa inyo na siya ay huwag ninyong kakausapin o babatiin man lamang at huwag din ninyo siyang tatanggapin sa inyong mga tahanan (II Juan 1:10-11). Gayon din naman, aming ibinababala sa inyo na sinomang kapatid sa Iglesia ang lumabag sa mga tagubilin ng 'circular' na ito ay lubusang ititiwalag sa Iglesia upang kailanman ay huwag na muling mabalik.

UMAASA kami na ang mga tagubilin sa 'circular' na ito ay inyong tutuparing may katapatan upang manatili sa Iglesia at sa piling ng Sugo ng Dios sa Huling Araw. Tulungan nawa tayo ng Dios.


Ang inyong kapatid sa Panginoon (Sgd.)
'T. RAMOS 'TEOFILO C. RAMOS' (Exh. "J")

The Tarlac Dev. Corp. here is the company which the INC members works, both the company and the UNION encourage INC workers to be in the UNION especially for the "terms or conditions and whatsoever" the two agreed. But because it is prohibited in the church, INC workers resigned, this is what they have said:

'We believe our resignation is legal and it is within the purview of the freedom of religion guaranteed by our Constitution. Hence, it can not be made a ground for the termination of our employment nor a cause for discrimination against us'

What the INC workers want is to resign in the UNION and still work on the company, Upon the passage by Congress of Republic Act No. 3350, the Iglesia ni Cristo, in another circular dated October 13, 1961, informed all its followers about the provisions of said Act, as follows:

Nais naming ipagbigay alam sa inyo na nagkaroon ng susog ang batas ukol sa maggagawa ng pagawaan na tinatawag na Industrial Peace Act' na ngayon ay kilala sa tawag na 'Republic Act Blg. 3350.' Gaya ng alam na ninyo ipinagbabawal ng ating pananampalataya na umanib ang sinomang kapatid sa alinmang unyon o samahan ng mga manggagawa. Ang ating pananampalatayang ito ay kinilala ng panibagong batas na nagsasaad na hindi inaalis ang karapatan ng alinmang pagawaan na makipagkasundo sa alinmang unyon o samahan ng paggawa sa nasabing pagawaan, dadapuwat -

. . . ang nasabing kasunduan ay hindi maaaring sumaklaw sa mga kaanib ng alinmang sekta ng relihiyon na ipinagbabawal ang pakikiugnay ng kanilang kaanib sa alinmang kapisanan ng paggawa.

Dahil dito, aming tinatagubilin sa inyo na kayo ay pumanatag sa inyong pagtatrabaho sa pagawaang inyong pinapasukan, gumawa kayo na may kasipagan at katapatan at huwag ninyong ikabalisa na kayo ay aalisin sa trabaho dahil sa hindi ninyo paggawa o pagsanib sa unyon o kapisanan sa pagawaan ninyong pinapasukan.

Hanggang dito na po lamang muna at umaasa kami na ito'y malinaw sa inyo.'

On May 26, 1964 the UNION demanded to the company to fire those INC workers who resigned in the union, even though there is a law that exempt any workers of any religious sects that prohibits to join Labor Union, that is, the Republic act 3350.

There are petitions that happened made by the UNION just to say Rep. Act 3350 is unconstitutional therefore INC workers should be terminated. And there are also defense from the INC made by Eliseo M. Cruz, the counsel of the INC workers.

The decision of the court then favored the INC workers that even they resigned in the UNION they can still work in the Hacienda Luisita. But the dream of the INC workers didnt come true, as they were, not just persecuted, but what they experienced is SEVERE PERSECUTION. As both the company and UNION encourage them to be in the union, of course they are hated because they resigned in the union.

Here are just some of the examples of the persecution theyve got (from the fan page of this blog, ive asked this to the brethren):

Mac Jun Carlo Codera Gnun, po ba,nkwento lng din po skin ng mama q . .about dun., na pinalayas mga kapatid ntin sa H.L. May knlaman nga dw po ang pamilya ng president ntin dun eh. .aun . .tpos bsta lahat ng kpatid ntin dun trinato clang hndi kapwa tao. .ultimo pgbili lang sa tindahan kpg nlamang inc hndi bebentahan. . . >.<

Danny Sajul Añielsanto parang napanood ko dati sa Net25, dahil ayaw sumali sa union ang mga kapatid, ang mga bahay nila ay pinagbabato, pati ang pagsamba sa kapilya ay ginugulo noon. Tapos nalaman ng pamamahala ang nangyayari doon. Kaya lahat ng kapatid ay lumipat ng tirahan. Para ngang bayan ng Israel nung umalis sa Ehipto ang pangyayari. Lahat ng kapatid ang umalis ng naglalakad.

Danny Sajul Añielsanto ang alam ko, binigyan sila ng Relocation Site sa labas ng Hacienda ng Pamamahala. Ngayon ay subdivision na ito ng puro Iglesia lahat. Ang pamamahala ang nagbigay nito. Hindi sila pinalayas. Kusa silang umalis doon sa utos ng pamamahala. Lahat ng kapatid naglalakad paalis. At kumakanta sila at umiiyak, habang umaalis. Isipin nyo na lang yung israel sa ehipto. Sa trabaho, kung minsan papasok sila para magtrabaho, hinaharangan sila papunta sa work. Paano pa makakapag hanapbuhay ang kapatid.

Alan Galeon Aroy at hindi po sila pinahihintulutan na sumakay sa jeep ang mga kapatid kaya naglalakad na lang po sila patungo sa pagsamba.

Because of the situation of the brethren, "the church administration, through Bro. Erano Manalo, decided to relocate the brethren who were in the Hacienda Luisita to Barrio Maligaya in Nueva Ecija so they could be freed from the severe persecutions of Labor Unions..."

"Feb. 22, 1965... It was a fateful day when 145 families, all members of the Iglesia ni Cristo, were relocated from Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac to Barrio Maligaya in Nueva Ecija..." source: Pasugo Issue November 2006

(The brethren walked from hacienda luisita, Tarlac to Palayan City, Barrio Maligaya)

"The name Barrio Maligaya was taken from the name of Bro. Felix Manalo, from the latin word 'Felix' which means happy. The initial year of the brethren in Maligaya was truly a challenge. They worked hand in hand to help build or fix their homes and surroundings. While brethren from other congregations sent food and clothing and other daily needs in order to assist the new residents as they prepared their new abode. They vigorously tilled the the land and planted rice. With the help of Church Admin., an irrigation system was built. That is why, at the end of year 1965, a plenteous harvest was made."

(The locale of Maligaya with yellow highlight,
secondary and elementary school upper part)

"In their desire to provide for brethren's primary needs duplex residences with yards and landscape were set-up; a school providing elementary and secondary education was established; kiosks and a picnic grove that served as a place for rest and relaxation for the residents were built. In addition, a full health service center with a dentistry and a maternity ward was established in order to accommodate the various health needs of the brethren.

Barrio Maligaya enjoys a healthy harvest of rice and vegetables, and pride's itself on having a piggery with skilled veterinarians managing it. And in order to have an effective means of communication, especially with the Church administration, a radio transmitter was set-up. The concrete house of worship is the most imposing edifice in this community. With a capacity of 1,000 people, it serves as a sanctuary, a place of safe haven of the Maligaya tenants." source: Pasugo Issue November 2006

Let us read a review of a nonmember to the resettlement project of the INC:

IGLESIA NI KRISTO: PIONEER IN CHURCH-SPONSORED LAND REFORM
By Richard L. Deats, Ph. D.,
Associate Professor of Social Ethics,
Union Theological Seminary

Workers for Social Justice in the Philippines have been rightly concerned about the opposition of the Iglesia Ni Kristo to labor unions. Such opposition can be a real threat to the growth of an effective labor movement in this Republic; it also places the nation’s largest sect on the side of those vested interests working against social justice for laborers.

The Iglesia ni Kristo’s opposition to unions is based on its rule prohibiting its member from belonging to any organization other than their own church. The INK ruled, in 1959, that: Strictly do we forbid any member of the Iglesia to join any kind of club or association outside the Iglesia ni Kristo. Whoever is now a member of such clubs or associations should leave them and never again deal with them. They are against the commandment of God that bids us “not to be numbered with unbelievers” (II Cor. 6:14).

This ruling was given force in 1961 when Congress passed RA 3350, which allows exemption from trade-union membership for any person whose religion forbids such membership. Although labor unions fought this bill, because it undermines their right to a closed shop and collectives bargaining, it has not been repealed. As was expected, Manalistas resigned from labor unions in large numbers. This led to agitation at Hacienda Luisita, in Tarlac, when 115 INK members left the workers’ union there. Under pressure from the union, the hacienda laid off the 115 members and a long controversy ensured, which reached all the way to the Court of Agrarian Relations and the Department of Labor.


A New Settlement For The Workers

The Firing of the 115 workers by Hacienda Luisita led to the beginning of a unique experiment. The INK leadership, realizing the difficulty their members would have at Hacienda Luisita as non-union workers, even if a settlement wee made in their favor, decided to locate them elsewhere. In 1964, the Iglesia ni Kristo bought a large piece of land, eventually totalling 600 hectares, not far from Cabanatuan City, in Nueva Ecija.

This land, which is very near Fort Magsaysay, stands on the gentle slopes leading to the Sierra Madre. Though in rugged isolation from centers of population, this land, now known as Barrio Maligaya, has become the center of the one of the most creative and unique attempts to solve the agrarian problem in Central Luzon. A few at a time, the hacienda workers migrated from Tarlac to Barrio Maligaya. When one hears the story of how the settlers came to this isolated place and conquered the wilderness step by step, one is reminded of the hardly founders of the kibbutzim in Israel. As the land was cleared, crops were planted and simple dwellings were erected. First there were just a few men; the conditions were so difficult that families came only later.

Like the members of the kibbutzim in Israel, these communal farmers were bound closely together by a common ideal and discipline. Behind them they had the growing support of INK congregations over the country. Food, clothing, medicine, seeds, tools, even bulldozers and tractors, were donated to the commune. Volunteers came from the surrounding provinces to donate their labor in constructing houses and buildings and roads. What happened in just a few years was truly remarkable.


A Visit To The Settlement

When one goes to Barrio Maligaya today Cabanatuan he is first struck by the familiar sight of a large Iglesia ni Kristo chapel dominating the distant horizon. Then he notices green fields, several buildings and rows of simple but neat cottages. To enter the property, one must first pass the check-point and the armed guards. Entering the barrio, the fields impress the visitor, as do the irrigation system, the unusual sight of tractors and bulldozers, and other indications of industriousness. There is a central rotunda; on the right stands the chapel; and on the left are the school buildings and the health center.

The cottages line streets named after INK martyrs; one of the streets leads to the barrio hall, where the visitors is greeted by a security guard. The day this writer visited the barrio, several of the guards were wearing khaki pants and “Marcos for President” T-shirt. Thought they were armed with rifles, they were usually friendly and eager to talk about their project. About 140 families live in Maligaya. Each family was given a home, lights, water, and a two hectare plot of land to cultivate as his own. The Iglesia met the basic needs of the farmers in getting started; it gave them seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, the use of tractors and trucks, etc.

The harvest belongs to the individual farmer; out of his profits, he will pay the Iglesia for his two hectares of land. The bayanihan spirit is much in evidence as the farmers work together on the various projects of the commune. In addition to work on their two hectare plots (which appear as one common field), the farmers give their labor to overall projects belonging to the Iglesia. The most impressive of these is the planting of trees on the outlying slopes. On what was once almost barren, deforested land, there are now thousands of young trees and sapplings. The farmers proudly speak of their future forest of teak, narra, molave, and ipil, which has already been planted. Fruit trees have also been planted in abundance: 9,000 coconut trees, 6,000 mango trees, 2,000 banana trees, and hundreds of chicos, caimitos, calamansis and tiesas.

There is even an experimental grape vineyard! These projects are being supervised by trained agriculturists. NACIDA has also held training classes to teach the settlers how to conduct certain home industries. At one edge of the barrio, on a height overlooking the river is a large guest house for overnight visitors. There is also a home for Bishop Manalo, and a picnic grove under tall mango trees for the excursions of church groups that visit Maligaya. On the slope leading to the river, a park is being built by a young people who donate their labor during visits to Maligaya.


EVALUATION

Although the project is quite young, its success thus far has led INK officials to consider similar communal farms in other places throughout the Philippines; they have already purchased some land for additional farms.

Those concerned for the progress of the Philippines should take notice of Barrio Maligaya. There are few Roman Catholic or Protestant projects that are any more impressive that this one. What would happen if the Roman Catholic Church—the largest landowner in Pampanga—were to try similar experiments? Are there places where Protestants might have enough land, resources and discipline to do the same, even on a very modest scale?

Certainly we should not relax our efforts to get the government to implement its land reform program more extensively and effectively; but, in the meantime, the Maligaya communal farm stands as a significant testimony to what Filipino farmers can do to build a better life for themselves and the nation

Sadly, on the so called "Hacienda Luisita Massacre" it is believed that a number of killed and injured were members of the INC...

"On November 16, 2004, twelve picketing farmers and two children were killed and hundreds were injured when police and soldiers dispatched by then Labor Secretary Patricia Santo Tomas, on behalf of the Cojuangco family, stormed a blockade by plantation workers. The protesters were pushing for fairer wages, increased benefits and, more broadly, a greater commitment for national land reform. Despite witness accounts of police, government soldiers and security personnel firing into the picket line, no arrests were made." source: wikipedia

WATCH THE VIDEO DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THIS: