Foucault says “when there is power, there is resistance…” especially if that certain power is being used to exploit the rights and lives by those who are subordinate of it. Such exploitations happened in the workers of the Hacienda Luisita and Central Azucarera de Tarlac , both of which are part of the millions of properties of the Cojuangco family. The workers who spent most of their lives working in the huge sugar plantations could not anymore take the exploitations of the family on them: low salaries ,mass firings and even the lands that ought to be given away to the workers are not yet distributed but instead they used the lands to exert more profits for themselves. And even using their position in the government to ratify land reforms to make themselves sole owners of the lands.
Such situation continues to harden the lives of the poor people for the justice system of our country is on the side of the elites and instead of providing those poor farmers their rights to take control of their lands and even to have a justifiable amount of wages, they in turn serves the interests of the landlords and hacienderos to profit themselves. But who could blame them when they were put in their positions because of the money of these elites. Guns, goons and golds are still the indispensable weapons of these elites. And the sad part of it, the government or those who are in the political positions still bow and worship on them.
On the case of the Hacienda Luisita massacre, all the evidences pinpoints on the military and the Cojuangco family but still they were not punished by the law for they have the power and money to bribe the officials. With these kind of happenings, can we still grasp for the justice and truth to prevail? How long can we still dance in their tune of manipulation, both in politics and in our justice system?
As a student and concern citizen of this country, radical changes are the only hope for us Filipinos. And if those who are in the positions will never stop worshiping the money(bribe), we can never hope for a good governance for this country. And if there is only one brave person in the government that would stand and lobby for the truth, justice will be possible to achieve. For I do believe, that even a single person can change this country. Workers and labor unions are like castaways trapped in a single island, who always try to start a fire to make us be aware of their plight, but it seems nobody had ever seen the smoke. And every Filipino needs to open their eyes to seek the truth, for the truth will not just protect the worker’s rights but also every Filipino’s rights that are in the brim of exploitations from “greedy people” like of those who were responsible of the tragic Hacienda Luisita.
Five years have passes but the bittersweet journey towards justice are not yet paid off. Let’s hope for the change.
