Titling of Baguio parks, watersheds by NCIP as ancestral lands still on

BAGUIO CITY – Titling of “ancestral lands” even in watersheds and city parks here by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples is still going on and this is destroying Baguio’s title as the city of pines since buyers are now intent on cutting trees for development of properties.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said despite this, the city remains the summer capital of the Philippines amidst efforts to ruin its century-old identity and collective efforts must be undertaken to maintain its title.

            

The local chief executive said the practice of “green governance” is a primordial framework and overall agenda of the local government to stop massive titling of watersheds and forests through the ancestral claims of purported indigenous peoples.

            

“The city’s title as the country’s summer capital is under threat because of the continuous titling of our major watershed by ancestral claimants which is in gross violation of the provisions of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples rights Act,” Domogan said.

He cited the sudden issuance of ancestral titles over portions of the Forbes Park, Wright Park and even the Busol watershed, the city’s primary source of potable water supply.

            

Because of the aforesaid precedent, Domogan warned the possibility of eventual titling of the city’s remaining watersheds if the city government and other sectors of the city are not vigilant on the reported clandestine efforts of purported ancestral claimants that are in cahoots with some erring officials of the NCIP.

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If we really care for our environment, let us fight the willful titling of our watersheds and parks for the benefit of the present and future generations,” Domogan said.

He added tens of thousands of trees within Forbes Park, Wright Park and other watersheds in the city are now under threat of being cut by the ancestral titleholders in favor of alleged developers.

While it is true that the city is not totally covered by the provisions of IPRA, he explained that Section 78 of the said law recognizes the ancestral claims of persons that have been recognized by the courts and quasi-judicial bodies prior to its effectivity in November 1997.

            

As part of its commitment to sustain the city’s pine-scented air, the local government, in partnership with various sectors of the city, worked out planting of nearly 30,000 assorted tree seedlings in the different watersheds and parks.

            

He urged city residents to make sure that the trees that they have planted will survive so that they will serve their purpose of replacing the ones that have been cut or died because of the bark beetle pest that is now thriving in old pine trees.

            

The city mayor said the local government has a continuing regreening program to replace trees that are being cut since young trees have been described by experts as having a greater carbon sequestration compared to the trees that are already more than 50 years old.

            

With greenery, he said foreign and domestic tourists will be enticed to keep coming back to the city and enjoy its cool and romantic weather, pine-scented air and scenic tourist spots.

            

He rallied various sectors in the city to plant and take care of trees.