LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Strawberry farmers here appealed for the termination and transfer of a flood control project which will displace them and affect their source of livelihood.

Lawyer Richard Kilaan, lead convenor of Lawyers for Farmers, the legal counsel of the Swamp Farmers Association Inc. (SFAI), said the letter of appeal, signed by Peter Bulangen, president of the Swamp Farmers Association Inc. and its members, was forwarded to De Isagani Cayme, OIC district engineer of the Benguet Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-BED) on February 21.

The letter stated: "In a consultation held on Feb. 18 attended by members of the SFAI, representatives of the Benguet State University (BSU), barangay officials of Betag, La Trinidad, and representatives of your office, it appears that there was no prior consultation, knowledge, or consent of BSU and the SFAI of the flood control project."

"Be it noted that the property where you intend to implement the flood control project is the property of BSU, and our client, the Swamp Farmers Association Inc., have an existing lease contract with BSU. Hence, their prior consent is needed before any project or undertaking is to be implemented in the property," the letter read.

It added: "We urge your good office to terminate and to and transfer the implementation of the flood control project to other areas."

Bulangen said they were surprised when DPWH personnel arrived with construction materials and told them that "we should start vacating the lands we were tending because they will start with the construction of a flood control project.”

“We are worried. Where will our member farmers get money to feed their families now that they are telling us to stop farming and give way to the project?” Bulangen asked.

"In the past, we have formally requested for the dredging of the canals most especially downstream, and that was years ago. We grew tired of waiting for the grant of our request and also got discouraged following up the request that we already forgot about it. Then, a few days ago, the DPWH informed us that we should vacate our farms because of this project,” he said.

"It came as a big surprise for us to to be told to vacate our farms immediately. We never requested for steel and the construction of new flood control project. What we requested for was the dredging of the canals as the existing JICA-funded flood control project is still in good condition," Bulangen added.