Aetas fear losing ancestral domain

THE ROCK formation in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, is one of the top tourist attractions of the province, which is shedding its image as a gambling and casino destination for Chinese players to a wholesome, family-oriented and fun destination.ELMER KRISTIAN DAUIGOY/Inquirer NORTHERN LUZON

OLONGAPO CITY—After more than 10 years of struggle to obtain social justice and recognition of their rights, Aetas in an upland community in Bataan fear that their battle to get titles for their ancestral lands may yet amount to nothing, a tribal elder said.

“Our people are poor and we are ignorant [of a lot of things]… and this is why some want to take advantage of us. This is our land, but we are like [servants] in our own domain. Our people are [lured] so they will hand over rights to others [to our disadvantage],” said Leonardo Abraham, 70, head of the council of elders of Pastolan in Hermosa, Bataan.

He said the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has failed the tribe.

“Instead of protecting us, they seem very eager to side with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). [Nongovernment organizations], like the Welfare and Management Services for Indigenous Peoples (Wamsip), have done for us what the NCIP should have been doing. They explained the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) to us and helped us negotiate with the SBMA,” said Abraham.

He was referring to the proposed joint management agreement (JMA) with the SBMA, where at least 4,200 hectares of the ancestral domain of the Boton, Kalayaan and Binictican tribes will be managed by the SBMA, if the agreement is approved.

He said the Aetas in the former United States Naval Base have been struggling to claim “what is rightfully ours.”

But even if the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) had been awarded to them in 2009, “we still have to fight for our rights.”

The SBMA, he said, offered the 300 families of Pastolan only an initial P2 million. But when Wamsip intervened, he said the agency offered them P31 million (a package that includes a school building, health clinic and yearly financial assistance) and asked them to sign immediately.

He said he refused to sign the JMA and told SBMA officials to present and discuss it with the rest of the community.

“But they came to Pastolan and instead of explaining and having a dialogue, they went house to house to get it signed. Unfortunately, the village chair (Conrado Frenilla) is siding with SBMA already, just like director [Masli] Quilaman of the NCIP. They have convinced [most of Pastolan] to agree to the JMA,” he said.

But Conchita Calzado, NCIP commissioner for Central Luzon, said the Aetas should not worry. Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon