Some 400 farmers are facing eviction from agricultural lands to give way to the supposed construction of a transmission tower in Lupang Ramos, Dasmariñas City,  Cavite.

This comes after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), proponents of the project, served a “Notice to Vacate” to the farmer-residents of Lupang Ramos on October 23.

The letter gave the farmer households of Lupang Ramos until today, December 22 to vacate the 372-hectare land.

Representatives of NGCP and NAPOCOR explained that EMRASON Inc., which owns the land, have already paid their corporations in agreement to the project.

But a farmers’ group, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), warned against the eviction of the farmers, citing their rights over the land.

“NGCP and NAPOCOR cannot just arrive at Lupang Ramos, (and) forcefully eject (the) farmer families (who have been) residing and tilling it for centuries,” KMP chair Danilo Ramos said. 

He added, “No amount of electrification can light up the dark hearts of the business executives behind such schemes.” 

For decades, KMP’s local chapter KASAMA-LR has cultivated 104 hectares of Lupang Ramos. The group has since asserted its right to till the land through several protest marches and an online campaign. 

“EMRASON has no right to sell these lands! We and our parents have valued and enriched this land through our continuous farming,” Miriam Villanueva of KASAMA-LR said in Filipino. 

“We know our rights as farmers. We are merely exercising our constitutionally-guaranteed right to land,” she stressed.

The KMP called on the Department of Agrarian to review its decision over Lupang Ramos.

“It (DAR)can conduct a physical inspection of the area to affirm its agricultural productivity and the applicability of land reform coverage,” Ramos said.