Wednesday, August 06, 2008 Who owns Sacobia? (Last part)
THE Real Owners
As the municipalities of Mabalacat in Pampanga and Bamban in Tarlac prepare their arguments and claims on the 3,325-hectare contested area of the Sacobia Estate, the Abelling Aeta tribe here remains silent on the issue.
In 1997, the Indigenous Peoples Rights (Ipra law/Republic Act 8371) has directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to identify and delineate the Ancestral Domain of the Abelling Tribe. Pursuant to the law, the DENR regional office identified and delineated 5,512 hectares of the Sacobia Estate as the tribe's ancestral domain.
This means that the contested lands by both municipalities fall under the ancestral domain of the Abellings. RA 8371 is the latest law affecting the Sacobia Estate, but amazingly the two municipalities have not considered the claim of the Abelling Tribe.
A tribal association leader, who refused to be named, said the subject of contention by both municipalities is basically the rich quarry resource of Sacobia.
"Both municipalities have not been vocal on what the Tribe, the real owner of the land, would have in case they would have jurisdiction in the area," the source said, adding that over 2,000 Aetas in the area should be part of any territorial claim in Sacobia.
"The officials have not been concerned with the rights of the Aetas because surely they would have a share of whatever Capitalistic claims they have on Sacobia," the source added.
Despite the urbanization in Mabalacat or the bustling farming in Bamban, the Abelling Tribe remains to be a cash-crop society. Most of their income they source out from small industries in farming and even charcoal-making.
The life of the minority groups in Central Luzon is in great contrast with the economic situation in the two towns. But the tribe, however, sits on place that plays host to vast sand resources that is eyed as a source of thousands of pesos in revenues by local government officials and a potential tourist attraction.
In 2006, Sacobia Valley in Bamban has been voted as one of the top new destinations in the country during the "Search for New Destinations, Hiyas ng Turismo" launched by Women in Travel, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Tourism Regional Director Ronaldo Tiotuico was then quoted as saying that Sacobia Valley is the premier gateway to the Clark Special Economic Zone. The Sacobia area was described as: "Home to a variety of wildlife species, flora and fauna as well as hundreds of Aetas. The presence of crystal clear waters, cool mountain springs and cascading waterfalls make it a veritable haven for would-be campers, hikers and eco-tourists."
But all these seem to be of no importance as both municipalities have yet to lay plans on the participation of the tribe in the development of the area. What is important for the two municipalities at present is to exert their political and jurisdictional authority over the Sacobia Estate.
The committee to be set-up by the Tarlac and Pampanga provincial boards to hear the boundary dispute between the two municipalities is yet to be finalized. But, until then, Bamban and Mabalacat would have to dispute on who has the right over Sacobia. But if the Abellings are to be asked, the area has always been their land. (IOF)
