BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon
BAGUIO CITY – Some 23 years ago
since the city government and the Bases Conversion Development Authority inked
a memorandum of agreement to segregate 13 barangays within Camp John Hay as
part of 19-point conditions of the former for development of the then American
military recreation camp, these areas still remain part of the reservation.
It
had created animosity among local officials, BCDA, John Hay Management Corp.
and barangay residents. But another group is biding their time, waiting for
what will happen. These are the ancestral land claimants within said areas.
There are the legitimate Ibaloi claimants, but then, there are also the
“illegitimate” ones.
***
The latter are speculators who are
claiming ownership of their so-called ancestral lands. According to our
sources, they are not Ibalois who have no history of genetic lineage to the first
settlers of Baguio particularly at Camp John Hay.
Our
sources say, some have even filed for ancestral land ownership titles within
the area with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
For
sure, overlapping claims between immigrant residents in the area and indigenous
claimants would soon be a powder keg that could blow up and pit stakeholders
against each other.
With elections just around the
corner, expect those vying for positions at city hall to make their pitches out
of the issue.
***
But that is going ahead of the
story. For land claims of the 13 barangays to be settled initially, the BCDA
has to segregate this first from the reservation.
According
to a city government press release, “The local government will be making a last
ditch effort to dialogue with officials of the state-owned BCDA and its
subsidiary the JHMC to ascertain the government’s position on the long overdue
segregation of the remaining 13 barangays from the Camp John Hay reservation so
occupied areas will be titled under names of qualified homelot applicants.”
The
article quoted Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan as saying “it is important for the
local government and barangay officials to know the BCDA and JHMC’s position on
the matter so that concerned stakeholders will also be able to strategize their
next move to compel the government to segregate the 13 barangays from the
reservation.”
***
According to Domogan, “There is no
false promise on the segregation of the concerned barangays from the CJH
reservation because it is part of the 19 conditions imposed by the local
government for the development of the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic
Zone (JHSEZ) as enshrined under Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 which was
also unanimously approved and confirmed by the previous members of the BCDA
Board.”
“We will make the appropriate representations with the
BCDA and JHMC for us to schedule a dialogue to ascertain the government’s
position on the matter which has been pending for over two decades now,” the
mayor said. “We will also gather appropriate documents, including previously
approved surveys, for us to lay on the table our respective positions and come
out with a definite direction to address problems on the segregation issue.”
***
Barangay officials and affected
residents are reportedly restless because of the failure of the BCDA and JHMC
to fulfil their commitment under the 19 conditions.
Long-time
residents have often voiced their sentiments to local officials they want to
own lands they currently occupy in said barangays. Barangay officials of the 13
barangays have reportedly been complaining over failure of the BCDA and JHMC to
complete the segregation.
According
to the mayor, the segregation of the 13 barangays was supposed to have been
fulfilled by the government during the term of former President and now House
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo if not for opposition raised by BCDA on survey
results.
The BCDA said there were discrepancies
in the final survey submitted to the office of the President for the issuance of
required Presidential Proclamation to make segregation official.
***
But despite these, Domogan said “the
present BCDA and JHMC leaderships have provided an enabling environment for
realization of the segregation considering it was one of unfulfilled commitments
of the government to barangay residents for them to be able to own the lands
they are occupying.”
While
this is so, residents in the area, over the years, said they could not make
improvements on their houses or buildings without being accosted by JHMC guards
who tell them they have to ask permission first from John Hay authorities.
To
bring in construction materials, residents have been ordered by guards to talk
first with CJH authorities or make written requests.
***
So far, BCDA and JHMC authorities
are reportedly not that rigid or stern under the present administration.
Domogan said maybe something will
come out of talks in the near future with city officials and Camp John Hay
officials to finally segregate the 13 barangays from the prime reservation.
As to wrangling and disputes over
ownership of barangay lots when segregation will finally happen, this will be
another story.
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