Thursday, December 04, 2008 Army wants to reclaim area in Clark By Reynaldo G. Navales
MABALACAT -- The Philippine Army (PA) is now reclaiming a part of a former Mount Pinatubo evacuation site inside the Clark Freeport.
PA officials from the Artillery Regiment at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija Province led by Colonel Pedro Biasbas visited the office of Mayor Marino "Boking" Morales on Tuesday to coordinate their plan to regain the area, which is part of Barangay Dau in this first-class town.
Biasbas informed town officials that the area used to be a camp of the PA artillery unit.
The Philippine Air Force also used the area as a military camp when Clark is still a US Air Force facility. It was then named Cabcom area.
Some townsfolk said that Dau was derived from District Artillery Unit. Other people, however, say that Dau named after a forest tree called Dao, which is a variety of Narra tree.
Municipal Administrator Rosano Pacquia said the Army has a basis for their claim but advised Biasbas to coordinate with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) regarding their plan.
According to Pacquia, there are many issues that need to be resolved with regard to the use of the area, which is previously a resettlement site of Mount Pinatubo victims.
He cited the farmers' compensation, existing laws from the Air Transportation Office, land use plan of the Freeport, among others.
Pacquia, however, said the CDC or the town may allow the Army to use the area for tourism and other historically-relevant projects.
"The best thing that the Philippine Army should do is to construct a museum or a tourism spot. But as a military camp? I don't think so," Pacquia said.
The PA officials have yet to ask clearance from the CDC for the use of the area, which is also part of the freeport's jurisdiction.
The Cabcom area is situated near the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.
