The inner workings of a family headed by a union organizer are revealed when his body is brought back to his hometown for burial. A sakada is a farmer who works in a sugarcane field harvesting it during the months of October to December. After this period, some sakadas who already live in the hacienda plant crops to tide them over until the next sugarcane harvest. Those who came from other provinces go back home. They are seasonal farm workers without any benefits. The plight of the sakadas is further explained as the movie develops, exposing along the way the vast gap between the rich and the poor.
—Ati atihan - Mother of All Philippine Festivals