In Every Step, A Story of Struggle and Survival: Stories of resistance and hope from the farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples of the Jubilee March

They have walked from Mindanao, covering more than 4,300 kilometers across islands and provinces, bringing with them a call to end hunger, poverty, and injustice.“Lakad Hubileo ng Pag-asa: Laban sa Gutom, Kahirapan, at Kawalang Katarungan!” Their chant breaks through the thick summer air as they press on from Barangay Del Rosario to Ateneo de Naga University. The heat clings to their skin, the ground burns beneath their steps, but their voices only grow stronger. Every word carries the weight of lost harvests, broken promises, and land stripped away, yet in their faces, there is no surrender, only fierce devotion to the future.

Soc Banzuela, PAKISAMA National Farmers Network President, shares that each step is not just a movement forward but a plea to be seen and heard. He warns how marginalized sectors are often used by politicians to boost their image during campaign seasons. This march, he says, is also a call for the public to choose leaders wisely, those who will truly listen to their grievances and uphold their rights.

“This is to demonstrate the issue, the need for filipinos especially voters especially voters to listen to them, to understand the importance of electing the best leaders in our country in the coming elections para di na mangyari itong patuloy na pang aapi sa ating mga lumilikha ng pagkain” Banzuela said .

Rooted in Pope Francis’ Jubilee theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” The march blends spiritual pilgrimage with political advocacy. Organizers aim to inspire voter engagement and push for pro-poor governance ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

Among the marchers is Robert Pacatang, a representative of COMFAS (Coalition of Municipal Fisherfolk Associations of Zamboanga Sibugay), who speaks of how small fisherfolk are used during elections but later abandoned. "Kami ho ang nagpayaman ng karagatan sa loob ng 15-kilometer municipal waters, pero ngayon gusto na nila kaming sakupin," Pacatang says during a symposium.

He criticizes the Supreme Court First Division’s decision allowing large corporations to enter municipal waters, a move he says strips small fishermen of their livelihood and dignity. "Kung hindi natin ito lalabanan, ang magiging pambansang ulam natin ay sardinas na lang sa lata," he warns, urging the youth to reject traditional politicians and fight for leaders who will protect people's rights.

Rico Jay Ballon, also a member of COMFAS, echoes the concern. In five to six hours of fishing, they catch only five to ten kilos of fish, while commercial vessels haul tons with a single casting. If this continues, Ballon says, small fisherfolk will face even deeper poverty and hunger as fish stocks vanish. And just as the seas are seized from fishermen, the land of Indigenous peoples is under siege.

Renato Ibañez, a 49-year-old Indigenous leader from Barangay Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal, walks with the Jubilee March to defend his ancestral land against the construction of the Kaliwa Dam. He warns that the project would submerge their communities, destroy their forests, and wipe out livelihoods built over generations.

 "Hindi natin kailangan ng proyektong panandalian lamang kundi ang mga alternatibong mapagkukunan na hindi kailangang sirain ang sagradong kagubatan," Ibañez says. Marching beside him is Florida Busa, a community leader from Daraitan. As one of the few women in the march, Busa carries the hopes of her village." Itigil ang Kaliwa Dam. Iligtas ang Sierra Madre," she declares, standing firm in her call to protect the sacred forests and the lives they shelter.

The Kaliwa Dam project, once pushed under former President Rodrigo Duterte through a $211.12-million loan from China, continues to face fierce resistance. Duterte had downplayed Indigenous opposition, accusing them of delays. Yet, nearly five years into construction, only 24.8% of the project is complete as of December 2024, according to the Department of Development (DepDev). For Daraitan’s people, the threat to their future still looms large.

Among those walking for justice are also farmers from BANSI (Barangay Agricultural Neighborhood Association for Sustainable Initiative), a group from Mindanao that knows the long road of struggle and the rare taste of victory.

Years ago, BANASI stood against San Miguel Corporation, fighting for 144 hectares of land meant for agrarian reform. Their battle spanned twelve years: a 28-day hunger strike, a 1,700-kilometer protest march, and the arrest of their leaders. Tragedy struck when two of their Ateneo-trained lawyers died in a plane crash while fighting for their cause. But solidarity prevailed: . Schools under CEAP (Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines), churches, and civil society groups stood with them until, finally, in 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered San Miguel to return the land.

Today, the BANASI farmers walk again, not just to share their victory, but to spread hope. On their shirts are the words of late farmer-leader Ka Rene Peñas of Sumilao, Bukidnon: “Walang imposible kung maninindigan at magkakaisa lamang.”

Ka Rene, a fierce advocate for agrarian reform, was assassinated days after the passage of the CARPER law he championed, a law (Republic Act No. 9700) that ensures equitable distribution of lands to farmers and farm workers and strengthens the agrarian reform program. Yet his legacy lives on in the determined steps of the marchers.

The farmers, fisherfolk, and Indigenous peoples walking with the Jubilee March are no strangers to hardship. Many have seen their lands seized, their waters stolen, their dreams deferred. Yet in every step they take, they bring a living testament that; victories, though hard-won, are possible.

With each step, they call on the nation not to forget the struggles buried in forgotten fields and flooded forests, but to choose leaders who will honor the dignity of the land — and of the people who depend on it.