Senator Christopher “Bong” Bernos has dropped a blunt warning: the Philippines’ push to level farmlands for infrastructure projects is leaving smallholder farmers dangerously exposed—and without a safety net. His latest call for government intervention comes as El Niño tightens its grip, threatening to turn already precarious farming livelihoods into a full-blown crisis. But what’s missing from the debate? The economic and ecological domino effect of displacing farmers without viable alternatives, and why this isn’t just a rural issue but a national risk multiplier.
The senator’s plea isn’t just about fairness. It’s a red flag for a system where land-use decisions are made in boardrooms and capital cities, while the people who till the soil are handed vague promises of “resettlement” or “compensation” that rarely materialize as advertised. With the Philippine Climate Adaptation Roadmap warning of worsening droughts and the Department of Agriculture reporting that 1.2 million farmers could lose income this dry season, Bernos’ intervention forces a reckoning: Who gets left behind when progress is measured in concrete and steel?
Why Land Leveling Is a Ticking Time Bomb for Farmers
Land leveling—flattening uneven terrain to prepare for roads, dams, or urban sprawl—isn’t new. But in the Philippines, where 60% of arable land is owned by just 3% of landholders (World Bank, 2023), the process has become a proxy for dispossession. Bernos’ office cited PSA data showing that between 2020 and 2024, over 8,000 hectares of farmland were acquired for infrastructure projects, with compensation averaging ₱150,000 per hectare—a fraction of the land’s true agricultural value.
The catch? Most farmers don’t own titles. They lease land from absentee landlords or farm on communal barangay plots. When leveling orders come, they’re told to vacate—no questions asked. “The problem isn’t just the loss of land,” Bernos told Archyde in a recent interview. “It’s the loss of livelihood. A farmer who’s been growing rice for 30 years doesn’t have a Plan B.” His office pointed to three regions—Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Western Visayas—where leveling projects have triggered mass displacements without parallel resettlement programs.
—Senator Christopher “Bong” Bernos, on the lack of farmer consultation in land-use projects
“We’re treating farmers like collateral damage. The government talks about ‘balanced development,’ but where’s the balance when their homes and fields are bulldozed overnight?”
How El Niño Is Turning Land Disputes Into a Humanitarian Crisis
El Niño’s arrival this year isn’t just another weather forecast. It’s a stress test for a nation where 70% of Filipinos rely on agriculture for income (FAO, 2025). The PAGASA has already downgraded 2026’s harvest by 12% due to drought, and farmers displaced by leveling projects are now competing for dwindling irrigation resources. In Tarlac, where a ₱2.1 billion road-widening project leveled 500 hectares of rice fields last year, local officials admit 40% of displaced families are now dependent on food aid.
The irony? Many of these projects are supposed to help farmers. The DTI’s “Build, Build, Build” initiative promises to connect rural areas to markets, but without safeguards, it’s creating a new kind of vulnerability. “You can’t build infrastructure on an empty stomach,” said Dr. Maria Elena Cruz, a rural economist at the University of the Philippines. “When you displace a farmer, you’re not just losing a producer—you’re losing a taxpayer, a voter, and a buffer against food shortages.”
—Dr. Maria Elena Cruz, UP Rural Economics
“The compensation models used today are based on land value, not livelihood value. A farmer’s worth isn’t just in the soil—it’s in the seeds they’ve saved, the techniques they’ve perfected, the community they’ve built. That’s invisible in any government ledger.”
The Hidden Cost: When Farmers Lose, the Economy Pays
Land leveling isn’t just a social issue—it’s an economic time bomb. The Philippines imports 40% of its rice (DA, 2025), and smallholder farmers produce 60% of the nation’s food supply. When they’re displaced without alternatives, the ripple effects are immediate: higher food prices, increased reliance on imports, and pressure on social welfare programs. Bernos’ office analyzed data from the National Economic and Development Authority and found that for every 1,000 hectares of farmland lost to infrastructure, the country’s food security index drops by 0.8%—a seemingly small number until you realize it compounds over time.
Worse, the displaced often end up in urban slums, where they join the 2.5 million Filipinos already living in informal settlements (UN-Habitat, 2024). The Department of Health reports that malnutrition rates in these areas are 30% higher than the national average. “This isn’t just about land,” Bernos said. “It’s about systemic neglect.”
What Happens Next? Three Scenarios for the Government’s Response
The debate over land leveling has split into three possible paths:
- The Status Quo: Projects continue as planned, with compensation paid but no resettlement support. Result: Increased farmer unrest, higher food prices, and long-term economic drag.
- The Bernos Model: Mandatory farmer consultation, cash-for-work programs, and guaranteed alternative livelihoods. Result: Slower infrastructure rollout but lower social costs. (Bernos’ office estimates this could add 18–24 months to project timelines.)
- The “Green Compromise”: Land leveling is paused in drought-prone areas, with funds redirected to irrigation upgrades. Result: Short-term political backlash but long-term agricultural resilience.
The most likely outcome? A hybrid approach. The Malacanang has already signaled support for “phased consultations” in infrastructure projects, but with El Niño worsening, time is running out. “The window to act is narrow,” said Atty. Jose Maria Syjuco, a legal expert on rural land rights. “If the government doesn’t move now, we’ll see protests, legal challenges, and—worst of all—empty fields where there should be food.”
The Takeaway: Why This Fight Isn’t Just About Farmers
Bernos’ warning isn’t a plea for charity. It’s a strategic alert. The Philippines is at a crossroads: Will it build infrastructure at the cost of its food supply, or will it find a way to develop with its farmers—not against them? The answer will determine whether the next El Niño brings famine or resilience.
The good news? Solutions exist. Vietnam, facing similar challenges in the 1990s, created farmer cooperatives that guaranteed alternative plots and training. Indonesia’s social safety nets for displaced farmers reduced unrest by 40% within five years. The Philippines has the tools—it just needs the political will.
So here’s the question for policymakers, activists, and everyday citizens: When the bulldozers roll in, who gets to decide what’s built—and who gets left behind?
