Controversial Mt. Data lot donated to ease out occupants

By Angel Baybay

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Through a memorandum of agreement, the provincial government turned over a controversial 4.13 hectare lot declared under its name within the Mt. Data National Park to Barangay Sinto, Bauko to ease out tax declarations of individuals within the area.

The lot, popularly known as the SECAL compound, located along the national highway had been the subject of controversies among Sinto residents, and the provincial government the past years.

As a part of the Mount Data National Park, the said area was declared by the provincial government when the local government unit entered into a MOA with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2000 so it will be used to protect and conserve the area for reforestation programs.

This was the same area where the Environment and Natural ResourcesSectoral Adjustment Loan office was built and established.

The area became controversial when the National Food Authority upon the request of then Gov. Maximo Dalog consented to build a warehouse over a portion of the land to serve residents of upper Bauko who depend mainly on commercial rice for their daily subsistence since almost all the arable areas were planted to vegetables.

The plan to put up the rice storage facility did not sink well with the local officials that they passed a series of resolutions opposing its implementation and seeking the turnover of the land to the barangay government.

To defend the right of the provincial government over the lot, it caused the filing of charges against some residents for illegal entry when they cultivated some parts of the land.

With the change in administration, Sinto officials reiterated their appeal for the turn over the area to the barangay.

This was positively acted upon with the signing of the MOA.

The agreement stipulates that the provincial government will transfer of the land including the improvements and all the responsibilities borne by the provincial government provided in the 2000 MOA.

This implies that the barangay will utilize the land for nursery and reforestation purposes.
On the other hand, barangay Sinto shall be responsible in causing the cancellation of tax declarations of individual occupants within the area and safeguard the same from future encroachments.

Sinto barangay will also defend the area from any development plans contrary to its land use plan.

The move of Gov. Mayaen is seen as a wise and logical step in ensuring the participation of barangay officials and residents in protecting the area. “Any initiative without the participation of concerned residents is doomed to fail,” said an elective official.

“Some may question the turn-over but regardless of who will manage the lot, the beneficiary will be the same – the Sinto community in particular and the people of Mountain Province in general.