• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Residents of Sicogon Island in Carles, Iloilo are hoping for a favorable action from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on their petition to revoke the conversion order on portions of agricultural land into commercial property, and revert these under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The petition, filed May 20 by the Federation of Sicogon Island Farmers and Fisherfolk Association (FESIFFA) and the Buaya Farmers and Fisherfolk Association (BUFFA), involves residential, agricultural, relocation, and community-use areas earlier allocated to members of the petitioners under the Compromise and Framework Agreement (CFA).
It involves around 30 hectares of residential relocation areas and 32 hectares of agricultural land allocations in barangays Alipata, San Fernando, and Buaya for FESIFFA members; and three hectares of residential relocation and seven hectares of agricultural land in Buaya for BUFFA.
The CFA, entered into Nov. 2014 by the Sicogon Development Corporation (SIDECO) and Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), with FESIFFA, states that concerned farmers and residents agreed to withdraw agrarian claims, subject to the fulfilment of social, relocation, and livelihood commitments.
But these commitments of 30 hectares as residential allocation, 40 hectares for agricultural land distribution, P38 million for livelihood and training assistance, and P76 million for resettlement infrastructure and amenities, were never fully delivered.
And for Marita Qubing and Jocelyn Supetran, both of Buaya, there seemed to be an endless wait and a cycle of unfulfilled promises from the developer for more than a decade now. “Pirmi lang pasalig.”
They said they are not against plans to develop Sicogon into a commercial and tourist area, but the developers should also fulfill their promises, especially on relocation, housing, and employment. | CGC
