“This goes to show how the people can do even more than this regime.”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Showbiz personalities are among the many donors sending in rice to protesting drought-hit farmers in Kidapawan City, an alternative media group reported.
Kilab Multimedia posted on its Facebook page today, April 5, about the arrival of at least 420 sacks of donated rice at the United Methodist Church in Kidapawan, where at least 3,000 farmers are seeking sanctuary.
The donations came from actors Angel Locsin, Daniel Padilla, Mariel Rodriguez, host Bianca Gonzalez-Intalan, and directors Perci Intalan and Jun Robles.
Robin Padilla also added another 50 sacks of rice. On April 2, Saturday, the actor flew in to Kidapawan to console the protesting farmers who survived the bloody dispersal. He then bought 200 sacks of rice and donated it to farmers.
In his solidarity message, Padilla hailed how farmers stood their ground and vowed that he would bring their issue among his friends.
Actress Anne Curtis and her younger sister Jasmine also donated 200 and 20 sacks of rice, respectively, last Monday, April 4.
Last April 1, the police opened fired at protesting farmers who formed a barricade to demand the release of 15,000 sacks of rice as part of the provincial government’s subsidy. The incident left at least two farmers dead and dozens injured.
Human rights group Karapatan said there are 78 farmers detained while at least 3,000 more farmers are being cordoned by the police at the United Methodist Church compound.
Apart from celebrities, the local government of Davao City and many concerned private individuals sent their donations for the drought-hit farmers.
Reposting Kilab’s Facebook post, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. quipped, “Muling pinatunayan na mas marami pang naitulong ang mamamayan kesa sa gobyernong ito.” (This goes to show how the people can do even more than this regime.) 
