Today marks 21 years since the Hacienda Luisita Massacre on November 16, 2004. The brutal exploitation of sugar workers–a tragedy long ingrained in the industry–culminated in the killing of seven, possibly fourteen, of their ranks during a strike by 5,500 laborers. This was not an accident, but a direct act of violence by a state determined to protect the profits of the landed elite.

The blood spilled that day was a demand for land. Two decades later, the promised land reform remains a cruel joke: the Cojuangco-Aquinos walk free, while their corporate greed and political influence continue to subvert the 2012 Supreme Court order for the total land distribution of Hacienda Luisita.

The historical injustice of the massacre is not confined to the past; it dictates the present. While Filipino families struggle against soaring food inflation and the deepening crisis of national food insecurity, the agricultural land in Luisita is being systematically stolen.

Under the current administration, the land meant for farmers is now targeted for massive land-use conversion into real estate and infrastructure by powerful conglomerates like Aboitiz Infracapital. This systemic displacement of farm workers–often preceded by red-tagging and persecution of peasant leaders–is the modern continuation of the 2004 massacre. The denial of land is an attack on our national economy and our people’s right to survival.

The Voice of UPLB DevComSoc stands in unyielding solidarity with the survivors and the families of the victims. We affirm that the 21st anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre demands more than just a passing memory; it demands a true reckoning from the state.

We must resist the silence that seeks to bury this tragedy. Amplify the voices that demand not just paper justice, but the immediate, genuine, and total land distribution to farmers and farm workers. The land must be tilled by those whose blood watered its soil.

We must collectively ensure that this tragedy serves as a final catalyst, compelling the nation to confront the systemic greed and corruption that places corporate profit above human dignity.