Aeta Leaders Demand Protection from Illegal Land Encroachment
FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — Aeta leaders in Barangay Nabuclod are urgently addressing illegal land encroachment on their ancestral domain, which covers 5,547.102 hectares under Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) FLO-1206-057-A. The widespread invasion threatens the community’s rights and livelihood.
Village chief Roman Alvaro and local officials revealed that at least 13 non-Aeta individuals are unlawfully occupying or farming plots ranging from three to 10 hectares. These encroachments lie near the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the planned Subic-Clark cargo railway, raising concerns about the preservation of indigenous lands.
The issue surfaced during the launch of a poverty reduction program attended by both national and local government representatives. Governor Lilia Pineda directed Floridablanca Mayor Michael Galang to secure the CADT documents and summon the alleged encroachers for a local council investigation before escalating the matter to the provincial legislature.
Lawyer Roman Antonio, newly appointed director of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples in Central Luzon, confirmed that the complaints are under validation. He noted that if these lands were titled before 1997, Section 56 of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (Republic Act No. 8371) requires indigenous communities to recognize and respect such titles.
Integrated Agroforestry to Support Aeta Communities
During the poverty reduction program launch, Aeta leaders agreed to participate in an integrated agroforestry initiative. This program involves collaboration among the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environment, and the Pampanga provincial government. The agencies will provide agricultural inputs such as seeds, seedlings, and tools for farming within an eight-hectare plot at the Floridablanca National Agricultural School.
Measures include bamboo planting, training on bamboo byproduct production, and safeguarding ancestral lands in Barangay Nabuclod. Governor Pineda highlighted that the anti-poverty efforts also contribute to climate change mitigation. Since 2012, the bamboo forest in Nabuclod has grown to 108,872 clumps covering 536 hectares.
Bamboo Production and Livelihood Programs
The governor announced a ban on selling raw bamboo poles, which only fetch P20 each. Instead, she encouraged Aeta villagers to dry the bamboo for crafting furniture such as chairs and desks. The provincial government plans to purchase these items for about 12,000 daycare children in Pampanga.
“Nabuclod is an asset because its bamboo forest has grown. We will be training the Aetas in making bamboo byproducts while we supply raw bamboo to furniture makers in Pampanga, Laguna, and Cebu,” the governor added.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian pledged continued food assistance while the Aetas develop cash crops and produce bamboo goods. He also distributed planting tools, vegetable and fruit seedlings, and fertilizers to the community. A total of 1,393 Aeta families received food packs as part of the program.
Governor Pineda emphasized the importance of combining immediate relief with agricultural support and livelihood training for effective poverty reduction: “We have to combine immediate assistance with agricultural support and livelihood training so that poverty reduction is more effective.”
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