HOUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Governor Lilia Pineda have appealed to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to return the ancestral domain of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) in Barangay Inararo, Porac town.
"Maging malambot naman kayo sa mga katutubo natin. Magtulungan tayo para maayos natin ito," Pineda told Engineer Joshua Bingcang, BCDA senior vice president for Business Development, during Wednesday's (June 26) meeting.
The Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title for 16,000 hectares in Porac was taken care of by Arroyo in July 2009 when she was in hospital arrest. However, during the term of former President Corazon Aquino, 5,000 of the 16,000 hectares were given to BCDA without a title.
"Inayos ko iyan noong 2009 para sa mga katutubo. May title, pero hindi pa naka-rehistro. Pero nung kay President Cory, walang titulo," said Arroyo.
"Noong naayos 'yan noon, wala pong naging gastos ang mga katutubo natin. Ni piso, wala po," said lawyer Eugenio Insigne, who was then National Commission on Indigenous People chairperson.
The officials suggested that if the 5,000 hectares would not be given back to the IPs, the BCDA, with Kalinga Representative Allen Mangaoang, who also attended the meeting, should re-survey the land to identify which area can be used or not.
"Mag-arkila tayo ng helicopter kapag nag-survey. Invite rin natin ang DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), Bureau of Plant, dahil kabisado na nila yan at sila ang nakakaalam ng protected land dyan," Pineda said.
According to Mangaoang, now chairperson of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples, they are willing to inspect the area to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, if investors would come for business in the land, or there is one already, the Aetas should also receive their income shares, the officials said.
"Yung hindi ninyo na magagamit, dahil bulubundukin naman talaga yon, bigay niyo na sa mga katutubo. Hayaan ninyo na lang sa kanila yon. Hindi ninyo naman mapapakinabangan, sila pwede pa nilang pagtamnan," Pineda added.
With that, Insigne said the BCDA and the IPs could settle and sign a memorandum of agreement.
"Tulungan natin ang maliliit. Tulungan natin ang mahihirap. Huwag natin silang labanan," said Pineda.
Also in the meeting to support the IPs were Porac Mayor Condralito Dela Cruz, Lubao Mayor and incoming Second District Board Member Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab, Board Member Fritzie David-Dizon, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Elizabeth Baybayan, Clark Development Corporation Assistant Vice President for Administration Zoraida Camello, Land Registration Authority personnel, and some members of Porac council.