Sangil: Quarry stories in Pampanga and Clark

THERE wasn't even a moderate success in quarry collections some years ago by a previous administration compared to what is collected now. The banner story in this paper the other day reported a P290 million collection over a short period of time. This is despite the pandemic when business all over the country made a slowdown, including construction. The five month revenues, that's from May to September reached P730 million. Wow. A congratulation is in order. Thank God there is now honesty in the governance of the province. A firm handshake is also in order for former Bacolor Mayor Buddy Dungca who is now in charge on quarry operations all over the province.

Since the Pinedas took their seats at the provincial Capitol millions of pesos in quarry revenues monthly beefed up the treasury of the provincial government. There are no more sticky fingers. In the meanwhile, I hardly hear some news if quarrying in the Sacobia river is still ongoing. It is one source for a Clark Development Corporation. Sacobia river snakes through the ranges, cut through and cascades at the back of the Clark Freeport. In the past, it brought a lot of sand materials for construction and trucked daily mostly to Metro Manila areas.

The quarry operations in the Sacobia river also became a major source of income for the indigenous people living on the hilly portion of Mabalacat and Bamban, Tarlac. These areas of these towns are part of the Clark Special Economic Zone. The river including the hillsides and up to Capas, Tarlac are part of the former US military installation and turned over to the Philippine government by virtue of RA 7227. All of these lands are now titled with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

I remember it was only during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration when the president caused the issuance of an ancestral domain title to the Aetas who have been living there even before the Americans cavalry staked their post in 1902. That was at the time when a tribal group led by King Alfonso welcomed the American soldiers and stayed until 1991. (Earlier, the Philippine senate rejected the renewal of the expiring RP-US Bases Agreement). Even when the American armed forces were too strict to allow civilians to enter their military base, the Aetas were given the special privilege to enter freely and even sold some souvenir items to GIs.

The Macapagal Arroyo marching order then to the officials of CDC was to set aside a large hectarage across the river which was then known as sub-zone and effect a joint management agreement (JMA) with the tribal group. It was a 80% to 20% sharing with CDC getting the lion share. The reason why CDC was suppose to get the bigger slice because it will develop the area with roads, townships with livelihood components. On top of it locators who will be establishing manufacturing firms and factories invited by CDC will share 20% of the lease payments to the tribal group. These may run to hundreds of millions of pesos for the Aetas. And for doing nothing. It never materialized because the tribal groups cannot agree among themselves, and the quarrel became evident. I really don't know if it still persist until now. I hope we can get an update from CDC officials.

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