Farmers block road near MTerra Solar project, claim land pressure tactics
Farmers in Sitio Sangilo, Gapan City say soil piles and tree trunks block the road to their fields, accusing the MTerra Solar project of trying to force a sale.
In Gapan City, farmers from Sitio Sangilo report that soil and tree trunks have been dumped on a road they rely on to access their farms, disrupting harvest transport and daily travel. They claim the blockage is a tactic to coerce them into relinquishing land for the MTerra Solar project, which aims to become the world’s largest solar-plus-storage facility. The company, backed by Terra Solar Philippines Inc., asserts the site in question is not part of its 4,500-hectare development and denies responsibility for the piles.
City Assessor Allen Tan notes that only a land title can prove ownership, while the mayor and landowner Engineer Renato Tan maintain the area is privately owned and not agricultural land. Legal disputes have arisen, including cyber-libel charges filed by Representative Emerson "Emeng" David Pascual against a farmer who posted videos online. Government agencies stress the need to balance renewable energy expansion with protection of agricultural livelihoods.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights tensions between large renewable projects and local farmers' land rights in the Philippines.
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