Sagada cites Ayala Inc. for not buying hectares for biz

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Following criticism of netizens over the reported plan of Ayala Land Inc. to buy hectares of lots here for business, a statement of the company said they did not intend to buy lots in this tourist town.

The municipal government cited Ayala Land Inc. for supporting the town’s position for preservation and protection of the rich historical tradition of the indigenous peoples (IPs) and their communal and ancestral lands by not planning development or acquiring property in Sagada.

Mayor James Pooten, a few days before the New Year, said it was unfortunate that certain individuals purporting to represent Ayala Land led municipal officials and IP elders to believe that they were allegedly transacting with legitimate land owners to develop a 20-hectare property in the famous tourist destination in Northern Luzon.

“Sagada belongs to the world and to all who appreciate what is beautiful. We are just stewards of God’s creation and everybody is welcome to enjoy the place but care for it while you are here like it is your own. And when you leave, remember that you are leaving this beautiful place to your children and to generations behind,” Pooten said.

Earlier, the municipal government joined IP leaders and elders in opposing the allegedly planned acquisition of a 20-hectare property in Batalaw by the Ayala Land Inc. through purported agents that visited the municipality several times in the past.

The property will be reportedly developed by Ayala Land into a world-class tourism resort in violation of the town’s existing unwritten policy that lands in the municipality cannot be sold to outsiders.

In a separate statement, the company denied reports that it was expanding its business operations to Sagada.

“We would like to inform the public that Ayala Land Inc. has no plans for acquisition and development in the town of Sagada,” it said in a statement.

The company is engaged in planning and developing large-scale, integrated and mixed-use projects such as office buildings and commercial, industrial and residential lots; leasing of commercial and office spaces; and developing, operating and managing of hotels and resorts.

Sources, however, disclosed that some purported agents of Ayala Land Inc. had reportedly approached a daughter of a deceased landowner, allegedly signifying the company’s intention to develop their property.

These agents also reportedly visited concerned offices of the municipal government twice to ascertain the validity of certain documents relative to the property being intended to be developed.

Pooten said what was good about the issue was that the people of Sagada were able to unite and assert the existence of an unwritten policy that lands in the municipality cannot be sold to outsiders, except to the closest of kin of the concerned landowners.

The mayor said with the issuance of the statement from Ayala Land that it does not plan to introduce any development or acquire any piece of property in the town for possible future developments, the issue would be laid to rest and that the people of Sagada would be able to sustain the conduct of the mandated nature-based tourism for the present and future generations of inhabitants of the locality and for such policy to be recognized by future generations of IPs from different barangay (villages). – Dexter A. See