The World Bank-funded SPLIT project is putting thousands of our agrarian reform beneficiary farmers in the Philippines in danger of losing their livelihoods. If this project is not stopped, it may result in the dissolution of the agrarian reform program, which was intended to break the cycles of poverty for farmers. The SPLIT Project is deemed to be high-risk because of its potentially disastrous effects on society and the environment.

We ask the World Bank to immediately suspend funding for the SPLIT project while we look into serious allegations and develop a comprehensive policy proposal for SPLIT project implementation and safeguarding the Philippines' agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). Please sign our joint letter to the World Bank Board of Directors to help us create a broader coalition of support that will put greater pressure on the World Bank (see attached links to the letter and annex).This letter is still a draft; once we get signatures (deadline Oct 14), we will calculate the number of organizations and individuals who have signed it and add those figures to the letter. If there are any problems signing on, please email Kahlil.Apuzen-Ito@uvm.edu.

On behalf of our farming communities in the Philippines, we thank you.