Ellesse Gem S.

Aulmo
BSN 3A1

Reaction Paper: Hacienda Luisita

I have read from Wikipedia that Hacienda Luisita is a 6,435-

hectare 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 don’t 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 wouldn’t 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 don’t 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 won’t
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 won’t

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.