Rural Development Institute of Sultan Kudrat, Philippines

The Rural Development Institute of Sultan Kudrat

I have been extremely fortunate to have made the contact of RDISK which is the acronym the Rural Development Institute of Sultan Kudrat. They are my key contact in Sultan Kudrat for my research. They have had extensive experience organizing farmers under the Agrarian Land Reform initiative since 1995. They were instrumental in assisting farmers take over a plantation, Kenram Plantation from landowners.

This plantation is a success story in terms of the farmers organizing themselves into a cooperative which looks after their best interests. They also collectively own the land and make important decisions about the management of the plantation operations. This business model has further diversified into other areas like store co-ops, lending business and oil palm nursery.

Paddy field next to RDISK

RDISK worked with these farmers to organize them into two cooperatives KARBEMCO and MAPABEMCO. These two cooperatives successfully took over the plantation in 2002. They have managed to sustain the plantation and further diversified into other businesses.

RDISK's gazebo over looking a paddy field

Accommodations

I have been very fortunate to be provided accommodations by RDISK on their premise. I had been having immense trouble trying to get a suitable accommodation, as most vacancies were already taken up. I was even keen to rent a place at a nun's dormitory. Now, I have a great opportunity to work with a group who share similar aspirations and beliefs. I also have a kitchen at my disposal. I shall work on reducing my 2 kgs of spices now.

Reading

It is slow and very tedious. I intend to work on it as much as I can until I break through the stasis.

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MAPARBEMPCO

During the 1970's, a land dispute between First Southern Land and the residents of Barangay Mapantig occurred. First Southern Land occupied all available tracts of land to the consternation of the residents of the area. People were driven away from their farms and some were even taken to court and imprisoned. Upon facing serious resistance from the company, the villagers gave up and some even moved to different locales in order to survive when the land was taken from them. When the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform programme was implemented during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, the villagers saw an opportunity arising to get back their land. However, the company applied for a deferment of 10 years which delayed further the implementation of the land reform programme. Finally in 1998, the Department of Agriculture decreed that the land being occupied by the Kenram Estate (the name of the plantation) would be subjected to agrarian reform. The residents who w...

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Unseen Faces, Unheard Voices

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