Aetas offer more land for Clark investors
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – With some 4,500 hectares of this freeport fast filling up with investors, Aeta folk have finally agreed to allow the state-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC) to manage 10,684 hectares of their ancestral land and open them to new investors.
This, in exchange for 20 percent share of the Aetas from net profits which the CDC would generate from the new investments on their land.
Leaders of the Bamban Aeta Tribal Association (BATA) and tribal chiefs from 12 villages in Pampanga and Tarlac signed with the CDC last Tuesday a joint management agreement (JMA) allowing the CDC to “co-manage” the 10,684 hectares already identified as the Aetas’ ancestral land under the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA).
CDC president and chief executive officer Liberato Laus said the JMA would be effective for 75 years.
“After that, all developments in their ancestral land will again be reverted back to the Aetas,” he said, adding though that the agreement can be renewed.
“It’s a win-win situation since the land has remained idle for many, many years without any profit to the Aetas. We also want to help them build up their skills in the process,” he said.
Laus said the JMA has been forwarded to the board of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for final approval.
The CDC is also awaiting the opinion of the Office of Government Corporate Counsel on the JMA to make sure it has no legal hitches.
The CDC has assigned two armed security guards for the protection of BATA president Oscar Rivera, who claimed to have been receiving death threats since he signed the JMA.
“We Aetas are united on this (JMA), but there are a few who are being exploited by the unat who oppose it. We have been receiving death threats,” Rivera told The STAR.
The Aetas, who have kinky hair and are known to be traditional mountain dwellers, normally refer to non-Aeta lowlanders as unat or with straight hair.
“We will get 20 percent of the net income from the investments, while the 80 percent will be retained by the CDC. And we can terminate our contract with the CDC anytime there is any violation,” Rivera said.
Meanwhile, Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales led the creation of a separate group of Aetas living in his town.
Mabalacat Aetas formed the other day the Mabalacat Aeta Tribal Association (MATA) whose members lay claim to almost 7,000 hectares of the 10,684-hectare ancestral land.
Guy Hilbero, head of Mabalacat’s Aeta tribal affairs, thanked the CDC for finally “recognizing the rights of the Aetas” over their ancestral land, but cautioned the state-owned agency on the full implementation of its agreement with the tribal folk.
He urged the NCIP to finally release the certificate of ancestral domain title to the local Aetas who at present hold only a certificate of ancestral domain claim (CADC).
Hilbero cited reports that some Aetas have sold their rights to portions of their ancestral land in Bamban, Tarlac.
“It is possible that the threats against the Aeta leaders come from people who had bought such rights. This will prove problematic once the CDC implements the agreement and invites investors to come in,” he said. Ding Cervantes - The Philippine Star
This, in exchange for 20 percent share of the Aetas from net profits which the CDC would generate from the new investments on their land.
Leaders of the Bamban Aeta Tribal Association (BATA) and tribal chiefs from 12 villages in Pampanga and Tarlac signed with the CDC last Tuesday a joint management agreement (JMA) allowing the CDC to “co-manage” the 10,684 hectares already identified as the Aetas’ ancestral land under the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA).
CDC president and chief executive officer Liberato Laus said the JMA would be effective for 75 years.
“After that, all developments in their ancestral land will again be reverted back to the Aetas,” he said, adding though that the agreement can be renewed.
“It’s a win-win situation since the land has remained idle for many, many years without any profit to the Aetas. We also want to help them build up their skills in the process,” he said.
Laus said the JMA has been forwarded to the board of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for final approval.
The CDC is also awaiting the opinion of the Office of Government Corporate Counsel on the JMA to make sure it has no legal hitches.
The CDC has assigned two armed security guards for the protection of BATA president Oscar Rivera, who claimed to have been receiving death threats since he signed the JMA.
“We Aetas are united on this (JMA), but there are a few who are being exploited by the unat who oppose it. We have been receiving death threats,” Rivera told The STAR.
The Aetas, who have kinky hair and are known to be traditional mountain dwellers, normally refer to non-Aeta lowlanders as unat or with straight hair.
“We will get 20 percent of the net income from the investments, while the 80 percent will be retained by the CDC. And we can terminate our contract with the CDC anytime there is any violation,” Rivera said.
Meanwhile, Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales led the creation of a separate group of Aetas living in his town.
Mabalacat Aetas formed the other day the Mabalacat Aeta Tribal Association (MATA) whose members lay claim to almost 7,000 hectares of the 10,684-hectare ancestral land.
Guy Hilbero, head of Mabalacat’s Aeta tribal affairs, thanked the CDC for finally “recognizing the rights of the Aetas” over their ancestral land, but cautioned the state-owned agency on the full implementation of its agreement with the tribal folk.
He urged the NCIP to finally release the certificate of ancestral domain title to the local Aetas who at present hold only a certificate of ancestral domain claim (CADC).
Hilbero cited reports that some Aetas have sold their rights to portions of their ancestral land in Bamban, Tarlac.
“It is possible that the threats against the Aeta leaders come from people who had bought such rights. This will prove problematic once the CDC implements the agreement and invites investors to come in,” he said. Ding Cervantes - The Philippine Star
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