Phil. A Captive Land

Is Philippines a Captive Land?

Are Filipinos imprisoned to be tillers of the oligarch's land?

Was there a chance for them to chose to a landowner or a tiller?

Did the Filipinos ever think of these issues seriously that it will affect their future?

In the pre-Spanish time Filipinos where expose to the scenario that they are working under the supervision of the Datu and function his daily responsibilities according to one's social status. Those who are slaves and non-slaves they were treated according to their respective social status. This mentality has been carried on to the Spanish Period who treated the Indios as their servants and laborers . Filipinos were slaves in their own land to all their colonizers and in the present times they are still servants to their Filipino-Chinese and Spanish blooded landlords.

If Filipino peasants be given the chance to administer the property of their landlord. What kind of managers will they be? Will they be strict , untouchables and inconsiderate as their landlord to the plight of their own people? If given the chance to be the master over their present landlord how will they treat their own landlords? Will they be effective manager, planner and organizer of all the activities for the next 10 years?

To be effective manager, administrator and leader in cultivating one's land the above questions are very important to approximate the success of one's effort as a landowner and tiller.

Reviewing the history of the land reform during the time of the American Filipinos were given a choice to own a land or to be a worker in a land. Some Filipinos took the risk to work to own their own land even it was undeveloped, remote and backward from civilization. While others opted to remain worker and employees of the existing well- established institutions to ensure their benefits without much risk of any unforceable events.

I would believe that in every choice it involves risk. The greater the risk one faces he might end up with a greater opportunity and the less risky the opportunity might be more tangible. In this aspect, we differ in our choices to be an employee, worker or land owner.

Where we are now are the results of the choices of our ancestors they made for us. Sometimes we think that we could have been smarter than they are. We are in the reality that we can not unfold history to our favor. However, may we not also miss the opportunities set before us to chose the best choice. The question is do we have the courage to take a risk in making a choice for our future. We can venture to be an employee, worker or land owner according to the opportunities given to us by the events of time or fate of life.

To own a land might be a solution to the issues of poverty, unemployment and political unrest. However, it will not solve all our problems today for not everybody can be efficient farmer and landowners. We can be efficent worker but not necessary owning the land, we can be efficient owner but not efficient farmer worker. Thereofre, we continously exert effort to use our land to the best of our abilities either as landowner or as an employee or worker.

Philippines is not a captive land for we were given a choice to become the best of what we could be to become a productive Filipino citizen.