OPPOSITION presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday assured the Ati community in Boracay Island that they will be protected if she becomes president, amid threats of eviction from their ancestral land brought about by a proposed law which could pave the way for the entry of casinos there.
The Atis, who are the natives of the world-famous tourism destination, have experienced eviction attempts because of tourism boom. They community is also facing challenges in claiming their ancestral domain, which is being claimed by other parties.
The Atis fear they will be evicted and left behind if the proposed Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA) will take over and replace the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force if House Bill No. 9286 becomes a law. The bill seeks to create BIDA, a government-owned and controlled corporation that will be in charge of managing Boracay Island. It is being opposed by local officials, national government agencies and various groups.
Under the bill, the BIDA has the power to “contract, lease, buy, sell, acquire, own, or dispose … real property of whatever nature” which residents and business owners are strongly opposing.
Robredo, at he Ati community in Barangay Manocmanoc in Malay, Albay, allayed fears that residents of the island will be driven away to make space for projects, saying that as long as she and her team are there, they would not allow it to happen.
She said she wants the indigenous people (IP) to be able to sleep soundly at night, knowing they will not be evicted, and feel reassured their land would not be taken.
Romalin Supetran, granddaughter of the village chief, recounted how the late interior secretary Jesse Robredo, the Vice President’s husband, helped prevent their eviction from their ancestral land.
Robredo said the Ati community does not want a state-run corporation to run the island and favors a regulatory agency which should left to the local government unit and residents.
“Ayaw nila na GOCC (government-owned and controlled corporation). Gusto nila regulatory lang. Pinupunto rin nila na kontra ito sa tenet ng decentralization under the Local Government Code, na dapat iyong LGUs ang nag-aareglo sa ganitong issues (They don’t want a GOCC. They said it is against the tenet of decentralization under the Local Government Code which should be the job of the LGUs),” she said.
Robredo said the Ati community also raised concerns about taxation policies that will be adopted once BIDA takes over and they want to be given a chance to be heard and explain that they are against it.
“Kung walang mechanism ang community na sabihin na ayaw namin ito, eh di wala na silang boses para sabihin ‘yun dahil meron na iyong BIDA na body na nagde-desisyon (If there’s no mechanism for the community to say that they don’t want it, then they’ll have to voice to express it anymore in the presence of BIDA which makes the decisions),” she said.
The Vice President also vowed to protect the culture of the Ati community even if the Atis are just a small group, saying some businessmen still want to take over the measly 2.1 hectares allotted to the IP group.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said there is no stopping him and Sen. Panfilo Lacson from “courting” the people to vote for them since voters are not yet “married” to their preferred candidates.
Sotto, who seeking the vice presidency, said he and Lacson, who is running for president, were not disheartened by recent surveys which showed his running mate preferred by just 4 to 6 percent of the respondents.
“Kasal na ba? Hindi pa ‘di ba? (Are they married yet? They aren’t, are they?),” Sotto said Tuesday as he solicited support from Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who is the PDP-Laban Cusi wing vice president for the National Capital region, and the people of the city.
A Pulse Asia survey conducted January 19 to 24 showed that former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was preferred by 60 percent of the respondents, followed by Robredo with 16 percent, Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso both preferred by 8 percent, and Lacson with only 4 percent.
A Social Weather Stations survey held January 28 to 31, showed Marcos was the choice of 50 percent of the respondents, Robredo with 19 percent, Pacquiao and Moreno both preferred by 11 percent, and Lacson with 6 percent preference.
Sotto said there is big possibility that Olivarez’ political party, the ruling party which now has two factions, will be backing certain candidates, but “that does not prevent us from courting the votes of Parañaque.”
Olivarez said he was impressed with what Sotto presented to the people of Parañaque as their platform of government is about food security, and the fight against corruption.
Sotto said despite the low survey ratings, he and Lacson had to present their platform under the motto “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng mga Pilipino (Fix the Government, Fix the Lives of Filipinos”) and “Uubusin ang mga Magnanakaw (Get Rid of Thieves) to help them change their minds.
“I will leave it to the people. We will continue campaigning, we will continue informing them of our track record, what we have done for them and for the entire country and what we can do more, and then express our platform of government, explain our stand and platform reform,” Sotto said.
Moreno said he will consider Lacson for a post in government if he wins the presidential race.
“Senator Ping Lacson is an asset of the country, that I guarantee. He has a particular skill set that will help the government,” Moreno said.
“I need someone with the qualities of Ping Lacson to address corruption and discipline in the government,” he added. — With Raymond Africa and Ashzel Hachero
