Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5
HOUSE BILL No. On

Introduced by
BAYAN MUNA Representatives EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, and FERDINAND R. GAITE,
ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Representative ARLENE D. BROSAS, and
KABATAAN Party-List Representative SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
DECLARING JANUARY TWENTY-TWO OF EVERY YEAR
AS A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY TO BE KNOWN AS
NATIONAL FARMER’S DAY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On January 15, 1987, the Kilusang Maghubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), a national peasant
organization, held a camp-out in front of the office of the then Ministry of Agrarian Reform
to assert their demand for genuine agrarian reform.

On January 20, 1987, a dialogue took place between the peasant leaders and then Minister of
Agrarian Reform Heherson Alvarez. But the government has no clear and substantial response
to the demand of the farmers.

On the moming of January 22, 1987, farmers led by KMP decided to march to Malacafang to
air their demand for genuine agrarian reform. They were later joined by members of other
sectoral organizations such as the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Bagong Abansang Makabayan
(BAYAN), League of Filipino Students (LFS) and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod
(KPML). They arrived at Liwasang Bonifacio at about 1:00 p.m. where they held a brief
program.

‘The demonstrators numbering from 15,000 to 20,000 then reached C.M. Recto at around 4:30
p.m. It was during this mobilization that the OPLAN YELLOW was put into effect by the
Capital Regional Command (CAPCOM). ‘Task Force Nazareno was deployed within the
vicinity of Malacafiang. ‘The civil disturbance control units of the Western Police District
(WPD) were also activated.

While the leaders of KMP were negotiating with the police to allow the body to proceed and
continue up to the gates of Malacafang, policemen then suddenly fired their guns
indiscriminately, shooting directly at the throng. It was at this moment that a tumult occurred.

As a result of the pandemonium, thirteen (13) marchers died namely: Danilo Arjona; Leopoldo
‘Alonzo; Adelfa Aribe; Dionisio Bautista; Roberto Caylao; Vicente Campomanes; Ronilo
Dumunico; Dante Evangelio; Angelito Gutierrez; Rodrigo Grampan; Bemabe Laquindanum;


Sonny Boy Perez; and Roberto Yumul. Thirty-nine (39) were wounded by gunshots and twelve
(12) sustained minor injuries, all belonging to the group of the marchers.

In the aftermath of the said fateful day, now known as “Mendiola Massacre”, then President
Corazon C. Aquino issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 11 dated January 22, 1987, which
created the Citizens’ Mendiola Commission (Commission for short) to investigate the incident.

Among the findings of the Commission were:

@ the crowd dispersal units of the police and the military were armed with
.38 and .45 caliber handguns, and M-16 armalites, which is a prohibited act
under paragraph 4(@), Section 13, and punishable under paragraph (b),
Section 14 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 880.

© the security men assigned to protect the WPD, INP Field Force, the
Marines and supporting military units, as well as the security officers of the
police and military commanders were in civilian attire in violation of
paragraph (a), Section 10, Batas Pambansa Blg. 880.

© there was unnecessary firing by the police and military crowd dispersal
control units in dispersing the marchers, a prohibited act under paragraph
(© Section 13, and punishable under paragraph (b), Section 14, Batas
Pambansa Blg. 880.

@ ‘Tear gas was not used at the start of the disturbance to disperse the rioters.
After the crowd had dispersed and the wounded and dead were being
carried away, the MDT of the police and the military with their tear gas
equipment and components conducted dispersal operations in the
Mendiola area and proceeded to Liwasang Bonifacio to disperse the
remnants of the marchers.

‘This event, subsequently, served as a wake up call to the Aquino administration to push for a
legislated land reform program in the country.

‘After twenty nine (29) years, people may have forgotten what transpired on that fateful day.
Some journalists called it “Black Thursday” but to many, as stated above, was tagged as
“Mendiola Massacre”.

‘This bill was originally formulated by Anakpawis party-list to remind the nation of the tragic
incident, which very much deserves a chapter in our country’s history, and to honor the
heroism of the peasants whose lives were offered in the struggle for genuine agrarian reform
but, more importantly, to recognize the historic, continuing role of the farmers in the pursuit
of a just, prosperous and democratic society.

During the 13" Congress, this bill was approved by the Committee on Revision of Laws
(Committee Report No. 1955) and was included in the Business for the Day on November 15,
2006.

‘This bill passed Third Reading in the 14" Congress and was transmitted to the Senate on
January 28, 2010, short of successfully being enacted into law.


‘The 15" Congress again failed to pass the bill even as the measure got the nod of the Lower
House on Second Reading on February 5, 2013.

Submitted once more in the 16" Congress, the bill was never deliberated even at the committee
level. It was again refiled in the 17" Congress where it was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture and Food.

‘The Makabayan bloc once again files this bill in the 18" Congress to continue to push for the
much-deserved official national recognition of the Filipino Peasantry’s heroic struggle for land
and justice.

In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.

Approved,

REP. iene CULLAMAT

Bayan Muna Party-list

\
wor buss eROA re REPS INAND R. GAITE
Bayan Muna/Parby-list Bayan Muna Party-list

<a
R LENE D. BROSAS REP. FRANCE L. CASTRO
MBRIELA Women’s Party ACT Teachers Party-lst

REP. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO
Kabataan Parby-list


Cord auneon—

1
12
13
14
15
16

18
19
20
21

23
24
25
26

28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 5244

Introduced by
BAYAN MUNA Party-List Representatives EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, and Rep. FERDINAND R. GAITE,
ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Representative ARLENE D. BROSAS, and
KABATAAN Party-List Representative SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
DECLARING JANUARY TWENTY-TWO OF EVERY YEAR
AS A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY TO BE KNOWN AS
NATIONAL FARMER’S DAY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION L. Short Title - ‘The twenty-second day of January of every year is hereby
declared as a special working holiday to be known as “National Farmer's Day”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy —'Yo ensure meaningful observance of the holiday as
herein declared, all heads of government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-
owned and controlled corporations especially those that are dealing directly with the farmers
as well as local government units, and employers in the private sector shall encourage and
afford sufficient time and opportunities for their employees to engage and participate in any
activity conducted within the premises of their respective offices or establishments in support
and sympathy to farmers across the country to celebrate “National Farmer's Day”.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,