Ang Pahayagan

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija — Farmers, workers, youth and students, church people, educators, scientists, health workers, environmental defenders, and land reform and food security advocates will formally launch the Save the Rice Granary Movement on June 5, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the NEUST General Tinio Campus Covered Gym in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

The launching will gather representatives from the eight provinces of Central Luzon—Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Zambales—along with supporters from various parts of the country and overseas to unite around the call to defend the agricultural lands of the Rice Granary of the Philippines.

The movement is being launched amid growing concerns over the rapid conversion of agricultural lands in Central Luzon and its impact on food security, farmers’ livelihoods, and the future of domestic agricultural production.

According to Philippine Statistics Authority data cited by the alliance, more than 280,000 hectares of agricultural land in the region were converted to non-agricultural uses between 1991 and 2022.

Organizers stressed that the campaign is not opposed to development itself but to projects that destroy productive agricultural lands for the benefit of a few.

“Hindi kami tutol sa pag-unlad. Ang aming tinututulan ay ang mga proyektong sumisira sa mga produktibong lupang sakahan para sa kapakinabangan ng iilan,” the alliance said in its unity manifesto.

During the launching program, participants are expected to discuss the current situation of farmers and agricultural communities in Central Luzon, the continuing loss of farmlands due to land-use conversion, and policy issues affecting food security and agrarian development.

The alliance is set to advance the following key calls:

• Defend agricultural lands and rural communities from land grabbing and land-use conversion;
• Uphold genuine agrarian reform and secure land tenure for farmers;
• Provide meaningful government support to farmers through production subsidies, agricultural services, and disaster assistance;
• Repeal anti-farmer policies and advance pro-people alternatives that strengthen local agricultural production and national food security.

The Save the Rice Granary Movement also aims to expand and strengthen its campaign among farmers and various sectors in Central Luzon, throughout the country, and among overseas supporters.

The organizers invite members of the media, civil society organizations, academic institutions, faith-based groups, and concerned citizens to attend and support the launching activity. (PR)