12/08/2026
"𝗔𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗼𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱..."
KASAMA - LR has for years borne first-hand witness to the extreme lengths state personnel and powerful entities will go to impose greed over land ownership and silence community dissent.
Yesterday, August 11, marked the first anniversary since three of their most steadfast leaders, Miriam Villanueva, Anna Padilla, and Jojo Mercado, collectively referred to as the Lupang Ramos 3, were charged with trumped-up accusations of grave coercion and threats. These charges followed an incident where AFP soldiers intruded into their community in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, only to be met expectedly with counter-escalation and local resistance.
The farming locale has long been among the epicenters of multiple agrarian struggles in the province, all victims of the government’s decades-long failure to enact genuine land rights reforms. Productive lands tilled by generations of farming families are now being illegally sold to and claimed by private entities, including E.M. Ramos & Sons, Inc. (EMRASON), St. Francis Square Group of Companies (headed by Luke Roxas), and land-grabber Ayala Land, Inc. This corporate encroachment has triggered relentless surveillance, red-tagging, and disruptions by the local government and armed state personnel.
The charges filed against the community were initially aimed at 15 locals, including two minors. While the cases against the others were eventually junked, the Lupang Ramos 3 remain targets, underscoring the baseless and excessive nature of the repression they face as frontline defenders of their peasant community. Anna defies age limitations and stands as a senior citizen activist among them. Miriam remains among their most vocal, rightfully making her the spokesperson of the organization. Meanwhile, Jojo uses his youth and artistry to promote progressive culture among his generation and mobilize them in presenting their plight to the public.
Despite the legal harassment, their commitment has never wavered. They champion food sustainability through science-informed agroecology and organic farming while leading the fight for peasant and women's rights. This dedication is what paved their way to being recognized in 2024 when they were awarded in the Organization Category at the 8th Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan.
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The Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan, co-organized by the Center for Environmental Concerns - Philippines, the IBON Foundation, and this year's cooperating organizations, are proud to bring to you the 9th Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan awards, paying tribute to those who refuse to surrender to inaction, greed, or social injustice.
Let us celebrate their valor. Let us stand and struggle. Let us rise with them.