Bauko folks hit news story on regional disaster center; insist local consultations

By Angel Baybay

BAUKO, Mountain Province -- Residents of this town questioned a news story published in a regional paper relative to construction of a multi-million regional disaster center here, saying they were not against development but simply wanted consultations first considering ownership of the lot where the center was to be built was in question among other issues.   

“It’s not sabotage. It is simply putting things in their proper perspective by tackling directly the issues,” they said. “It’s land ownership and proper consultation with the community and the concerned agency that owns the lot.”

Residents said that the lot is owned by the Dept. of Education hence the agency officials and the community people should have been consulted during the planning of the project.

A compilation of documents presented by the residents point out the area where the Bauko Central School now stands was earmarked as a school site in a survey conducted in 1909 and approved by the Director of Lands the following year. When the late Vicente Opeeg Castro was then the mayor of Bauko (1924-1928), he rallied the people to build a school building without government funding to house classrooms for a complete elementary grade school students.

It was also during Castro’s term that the school ground was enlarged and developed with the free labor of the community people.

A transcription of an interview with John Pisilen of Maba-ay, Bauko reveals that the school ground was the venue of the annual Garden Day celebrations that showcased all products from the towns of Sabangan, Bauko and Tadian aside from the academic and sports competitions among the students.

In 1973, the whole school compound was declared under the Department of Education as per Tax Declaration number 18002.

Sources have it that the construction of the disaster facility became controversial when the people and the school community were not earlier informed.

But even if there was a consultation, one Bauko barangay official who talked on condition of anonymity said that they would not allow the facility to be put up inside a sports ground.

 “There are many areas where the disaster center could be constructed. Why build it on a sports ground,” the official said.

Another community leader said they are not anti-development. “We agree with the mayor that having the facility inside the municipality will bring development of all sorts to the local populace aside from helping people from all parts of the region but it should be constructed somewhere and not within an area intended for sports development  activities,” he said.

In 2009, the sports ground was improved with funds from the provincial government for the holding of the annual Provincial Athletic Meet.

Among the improvements introduced were the construction of a basketball court and the placement of a track oval.  

It was also the venue of many district-wide sports competitions.

In a petition letter dated July 15, 2018, Bauko Central School employees and barangay Poblacion, Bauko officials and residents made public their opposition to all development projects within the school lot which are not consulted with them. They said only education-related projects and developments shall be allowed within the school compound.