First Week at Work

I promised to make posts about my work at GreenEarth daily, but I'm afraid this is not possible. Instead, I've decided to make weekly updates. Here's the first one.

My first week is action-packed. Though I spent the first few days finishing our annual report and doing mundane tasks in the office (I'm trying to familiarize my self with the routine), the events last Friday were unforgettable.

We went to Bulacan for a town hall meeting with the alleged owners of GreenEarth's lands. (I'll write a longer background on this in the coming days, maybe even an investigative story.) Officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform and the military were present. Those who claimed ownership were there as well.

During the meeting, allegations of corruption and irregularities came out. If I were to believe the testimonies of those involved, it appeared that the DAR officials were in cahoots with a land-grabbing syndicate. They sold CARP-exempt portions of the land to individuals funded by suspicious organizations.

No one wanted to take the blame. Locals blamed DAR while DAR refused to directly answer the accusations. It was clear, however, that GreenEarth wasn't involved in any land-grabbing actions as alleged by some activist groups. If only they were present, they would see that those who claimed ownership were not really farmers but land agents. They bought CARP lands and sold them for a living.

It's sad how a law that promised to help farmers was exploited for the benefit of greedy individuals and organizations. This is my first real experience of corruption. I witnessed it first-hand. I felt dismayed with the government and with its officials. Sin truly corrupts people. Many of those involved may be able to pay their way out of their crimes. But ultimately, God's judgment will be upon them.