Lacbain clarifies Agusuhin issue
Letter to the Editor - Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 4, 2006 Issue)
Let me make some clarifications on your stories that came out in your April 21, 2006 issue entitled “ Korean shipyard project faces protest and your today’s (May 4, 2006) issue entitled “ Protests fail to stop Korean shipyard”.
The affected residents of Sitio Agusuhin in Subic, Zambales never protested against the shipyard project of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd and as such it is not correct to say that protests fails to stop Korean shipyard because the affected residents never intended to stop the Korean shipyard project.
Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno was with me when I visited the affected area several times and when I met with the affected residents where I made it clear to them after they have requested for my assistance for all their concerns that I am in favor of the project and that I cannot support any protest against the shipyard project.
The affected residents are also supporting this Korean shipyard project and are fully aware of the benefits that will accrue to the country, the province of Zambales, the municipality of Subic in terms of taxes and employment generation as well as the goodwill for other foreign investors. The affected residents are only demanding from concerned government agencies their just compensation, acceptable relocation site and livelihood opportunities from the shipyard project.
But despite the scheduled inter-agency meeting called by the Presidential Council for the Urban Poor (PCUP) to be attended by the administrator of SBMA, mayor of Subic, governor of Zambales, Commission on Human Rights, leaders of Agusuhin Neighborhood Association (ANA) and the Samahang ng Malayang Nagkakaisang Residente sa Agusuhin (SAMANRA) on May 2, 2006 and despite the ongoing negotiation between SAMANRA and SBMA represented by the Manager of Ecology Center Ameth dela Llana, SBMA with the assistance of PNP Special Action Force conducted a forced demolition of residents who have not yet accepted their payment from April 29 – May 1, 2006.
Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno witnessed how the forced demolition of houses and other improvements of still unpaid families have made families to live under the trees. You will pity the children if only you will visit their place. Other families were transferred to a temporary relocation (or evacuation) area at the Subic Sports Gymnasium and Wawandue Fishport, also in Subic while others are now living in tents in the relocation site provided by the municipal government of Subic that is mountainous, rocky, without potable water and no available parking area for bancas of affected families who are mostly fishermen.
I have facilitated a negotiation between SBMA Deputy Administrator Atty. Ramon Agregado and the president of SAMANRA Mr. Reynaldo Samonte on May 1, 2006 at about 5:00 p.m. to avoid further demolition especially of the remaining house in the farm of Mr Esteban Salcedo, Jr. that serves as holding area at the back of the shipyard project site where about 100 families are now staying under the trees. But there was a deadlock in the negotiation so I talked to SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza and appealed that that the holding area with water source for children can be spared from the demolition.
The affected families offered to stay put in the holding area and never to make any untoward incident that may hamper the smooth proceeding during the groundbreaking ceremony the following day of May 2, 2006. They made it clear to Atty. Agregado that they are not against the Korean shipyard project and they want it to proceed as scheduled. Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno also witnessed this negotiation and he even has a tape of recorded conversation.
Atty. Agregado now upon clearance from Administrator Arreza committed to spare from demolition the holding area of about 100 families provided they will not leave this area and make any commotion during the groundbreaking ceremony on May 2, 2006 that may result in the pulling out of the Korean investors from the project.
The groundbreaking ceremony was done very peacefully without any protests. The 100 affected families in their holding area are now at the mercy of SBMA and they fear that any moment their holding area will be demolished. They do not know where to go after their houses and other improvements were illegally demolished without any just payment – will they stay in their holding area and live under the trees?, will they accept the offer to stay in the temporary relocation area at Wawandue Fishport? or live in tents at the mountainous, rocky, without potable water relocation site?.
The Korean shipyard project is definitely pushing through as planned by the proponents but what is the fate now of the more than 400 families affected by the project. They are not just informal settlers, they have a formal community of their own. What will happen now to their demolished elementary school, high school, day care center, health center, plaza and their culture and traditions as a community developed for the past 40 years?
Is this the treatment that they deserve from concerned government agencies in exchange for supporting the US$ 1 Billion worth of project from foreign investors?
Very truly yours,
RAMON G. LACBAIN II
Vice Governor
Cellular Phone No. 0920 926 9818
The affected residents of Sitio Agusuhin in Subic, Zambales never protested against the shipyard project of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd and as such it is not correct to say that protests fails to stop Korean shipyard because the affected residents never intended to stop the Korean shipyard project.
Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno was with me when I visited the affected area several times and when I met with the affected residents where I made it clear to them after they have requested for my assistance for all their concerns that I am in favor of the project and that I cannot support any protest against the shipyard project.
The affected residents are also supporting this Korean shipyard project and are fully aware of the benefits that will accrue to the country, the province of Zambales, the municipality of Subic in terms of taxes and employment generation as well as the goodwill for other foreign investors. The affected residents are only demanding from concerned government agencies their just compensation, acceptable relocation site and livelihood opportunities from the shipyard project.
But despite the scheduled inter-agency meeting called by the Presidential Council for the Urban Poor (PCUP) to be attended by the administrator of SBMA, mayor of Subic, governor of Zambales, Commission on Human Rights, leaders of Agusuhin Neighborhood Association (ANA) and the Samahang ng Malayang Nagkakaisang Residente sa Agusuhin (SAMANRA) on May 2, 2006 and despite the ongoing negotiation between SAMANRA and SBMA represented by the Manager of Ecology Center Ameth dela Llana, SBMA with the assistance of PNP Special Action Force conducted a forced demolition of residents who have not yet accepted their payment from April 29 – May 1, 2006.
Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno witnessed how the forced demolition of houses and other improvements of still unpaid families have made families to live under the trees. You will pity the children if only you will visit their place. Other families were transferred to a temporary relocation (or evacuation) area at the Subic Sports Gymnasium and Wawandue Fishport, also in Subic while others are now living in tents in the relocation site provided by the municipal government of Subic that is mountainous, rocky, without potable water and no available parking area for bancas of affected families who are mostly fishermen.
I have facilitated a negotiation between SBMA Deputy Administrator Atty. Ramon Agregado and the president of SAMANRA Mr. Reynaldo Samonte on May 1, 2006 at about 5:00 p.m. to avoid further demolition especially of the remaining house in the farm of Mr Esteban Salcedo, Jr. that serves as holding area at the back of the shipyard project site where about 100 families are now staying under the trees. But there was a deadlock in the negotiation so I talked to SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza and appealed that that the holding area with water source for children can be spared from the demolition.
The affected families offered to stay put in the holding area and never to make any untoward incident that may hamper the smooth proceeding during the groundbreaking ceremony the following day of May 2, 2006. They made it clear to Atty. Agregado that they are not against the Korean shipyard project and they want it to proceed as scheduled. Your correspondent Mr. Allan Macatuno also witnessed this negotiation and he even has a tape of recorded conversation.
Atty. Agregado now upon clearance from Administrator Arreza committed to spare from demolition the holding area of about 100 families provided they will not leave this area and make any commotion during the groundbreaking ceremony on May 2, 2006 that may result in the pulling out of the Korean investors from the project.
The groundbreaking ceremony was done very peacefully without any protests. The 100 affected families in their holding area are now at the mercy of SBMA and they fear that any moment their holding area will be demolished. They do not know where to go after their houses and other improvements were illegally demolished without any just payment – will they stay in their holding area and live under the trees?, will they accept the offer to stay in the temporary relocation area at Wawandue Fishport? or live in tents at the mountainous, rocky, without potable water relocation site?.
The Korean shipyard project is definitely pushing through as planned by the proponents but what is the fate now of the more than 400 families affected by the project. They are not just informal settlers, they have a formal community of their own. What will happen now to their demolished elementary school, high school, day care center, health center, plaza and their culture and traditions as a community developed for the past 40 years?
Is this the treatment that they deserve from concerned government agencies in exchange for supporting the US$ 1 Billion worth of project from foreign investors?
Very truly yours,
RAMON G. LACBAIN II
Vice Governor
Cellular Phone No. 0920 926 9818
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
8:36 AM
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