QUEZON CITY, Philippines – As the Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF) approaches its 40th anniversary in 2029, its Executive Director, Arze Glipo, declares that while significant strides have been made in organizing over 30,000 rural Filipinos, the battle for genuine land reform and against corrupt, large-scale infrastructure projects is far from over.
In a recent briefing, Glipo laid out the organization’s dual legacy: empowering farmers and fishers economically while shielding them from displacement caused by government-led “Build, Build, Build” initiatives.
“Ang mga rekurso—ang tubig, ang karagatan, ang lupa—sa paniniwala namin, dapat may kontrol ang mga mamamayan,” Glipo stated, emphasizing that these resources should not be exploited by real estate or mining companies at the expense of the poor.
‘Living Below the Poverty Line’: The Core Mission
Glipo described the harsh reality of the IRDF’s target communities. Despite decades of development, a majority of rural sectors remain trapped in hardship.
“Karamihan sa mga rural sectors natin ay mahirap ang buhay. Sila yung sinasabi natin na living below the poverty line,” she said.
Since its founding in 1989, the IRDF has focused on three primary groups:
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Farmers (rice and coconut producers)
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Fisherfolk
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Women and Indigenous Peoples (IPs)
The organization was born out of a specific historical moment—shortly after the rise of the Cory Aquino administration—when farmer demand for authentic agrarian reform was at its peak. The IRDF was established by a coalition of university students, undergraduate volunteers, farmers’ leaders, and development advocates to help farmers’ associations legally position their claims for land under the agrarian reform program.
By the Numbers: Four Decades of Impact
With nearly 40 years of operation (marking its 40th year in 2029), Glipo shared concrete data on the foundation’s achievements. She estimates that IRDF has directly assisted approximately:
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15,000 farmers across various provinces
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10,000 women
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5,000 youth
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5,000 fisherfolk
“Sa mahabang panahon na iyon, natulungan namin silang magkaroon ng kasiguruhan sa kanilang mga lupa. Ginawa naming mas produktibo ang kanilang mga palayan at niyugan,” Glipo explained.
Beyond productivity, the IRDF helped communities achieve food security and diversified farm systems, allowing farmers to increase their harvest yields and generate additional income streams.
Beyond Organizing: Legal Advocacy Against ‘Build, Build, Build’
IRDF’s work is not purely economic. Glipo highlighted the foundation’s aggressive role in legal advocacy, particularly defending coastal resources like mangroves and fishing grounds from large-scale development projects.
“Maraming beses naming tinulungan ang mga magsasaka na maipaglaban ang kanilang instrumento sa pagmamay-ari ng lupa—para magkaroon sila ng Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA),” she said.
However, she pointed to a modern threat: the government’s infrastructure drive. According to Glipo, the “Build, Build, Build” program—started under the previous administration and continued under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—has become a source of corruption.
“Yan ang isang naging katas ng mga kurap na pulitiko: mga ghost flood control projects, substandard flood control projects, at road projects,” Glipo lamented. She argued that the billions spent on substandard infrastructure could have been used as subsidies to prevent farmers from falling deeper into debt.
The Core Philosophy: People’s Control Over Resources
Glipo concluded by reiterating the IRDF’s foundational belief: that land, water, forests, and seas must remain under the control of the people who till and tend them.
“Dapat hindi ito isinasakripisyo ng ilang real estate companies o mining companies. Sa kasamaang palad, yun ang nangyayari,” she said.
The IRDF continues to support local campaigns where communities assert their claims to these resources, ensuring that the voices of the rural poor—the farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous groups—are not silenced by profit-driven development.
“Sa paniniwala namin, dapat may kontrol ang mamamayan,” Glipo emphasized, drawing a clear line between genuine rural progress and top-down, corrupt infrastructure projects.#