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Only one resident qualified to stay in Sitio Kapihan, says DENR official

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Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Only one of around 3,000 residents of Sito Kapihan has the legitimate right to stay in the mountain settlement, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Wednesday.DENR Undersecretary Joselin Marcus Fragada gave the update to the Senate Finance Committee in connection to an ongoing investigation on Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) and their occupancy of Sitio Kapihan, which is supposed to be supported by a lease agreement reportedly expiring in 2029.Fragada informed the committee that those originally covered by the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA), which classifies them as “tenured migrants,” have either died or left the area.&quot;We have tenured migrants in the area. Sila po yung in-awardan natin ng PACBRMA nung 2004. After investigation of the area, bumaba na po yung tenured migrants. Ano na lang po siya ngayon, 174,&quot; he said.&quot;Among the sets of officers na binigyan po ng PACBRMA during that time, isa na lang po ang naiwan na tenured migrant na nandon, So, technically, yung mga tao po dun hindi na tenured migrant. Isa lang po. Si Oscar Arcular. He was the only one remaining. Pati po si Senior Agila, hindi tenured migrant,&quot; Fragada pointed out.Joining the DENR in the investigation are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).As of the last count, there were still 3,350 SBSI members in Sitio Kapihan, which include 1,117 children, Fragada said.There were also 1,200 households in the area.Last October 9 and 10, the DENR conducted an ocular inspection which found violations of the PACBRMA.These include the establishment of checkpoints, access roads, volleyball courts, wave pool, recording studio, and radio station, the official said.&quot;We are trying to find a solution or a better means of approaching a problem in Socorro. So, nag-agree naman po ang mga secretaries na through an in-governmental approach we’d be able to address the problem there of governance. In terms of filing of cases, we leave it up to the DOJ,&quot; Fragada said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/04/23/ex-sbsi-member-shares-video-of-young-couples-allegedly-forced-into-marriage">Ex-SBSI member shares video of young couples allegedly forced into marriage</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/15/23/sbsi-members-pinagbawalan-umanong-magpabakuna-vs-covid-19">Mga miyembro ng SBSI pinagbawalan umanong magpabakuna vs COVID-19</a></li></ul><div>ACTION AMID SBSI’S VIOLATIONS</div>The DENR report prompted Senator Cynthia Villar to ask for the agency’s next move after uncovering the supposed violations.“We leave it to the inter-agency to make the proper decision in terms of what approach should be taken. Kasi ang mahirap po if we decide right away, the resettlement is one issue,” Fragada said.Villar, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said SBSI members could be transferred with the help of the National Housing Authority. “It must be done. Huwag ganyan ang approach nyo parang takot na takot kayo. Wala kayong decisiveness”,” Villar said.Regional Director Cristie Reyes of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) in CARAGA said they were still scouting an ideal area for SBSI members who would lose their homes if the DENR barred them from staying in the area.“During our inter-agency meeting last Wednesday... they identified possible housing sites po, 18. Kaya lang po of the 18, 15 po ang zoned as agricultural, tatlo yung residential. But the residential are all in Surigao City. So, if okay naman po yung mga ire-resettle natin to go to Surigao City, we’ve identified three sites subject for validation,” Reyes said.<div>&#x27;WALA SILANG CHOICE&#x27;</div>But Villar said SBSI members had “no choice” but to obey the government because they lacked the legal right to live in Sitio Kapihan.“Wala naman silang (SBSI) choice eh... Pag binigyan mo sila ng choice hindi susunod yan. Kasi illegal sila dun eh. Yung ating legislated protected area should be preserved,” the senator said. “Siguro maibibigay nyo lang na tulong, for every family, hindi yan lilipat kung hindi mo binibigyan ng pera.”“&#x27;Pag ganyan ang desisyon n&#x27;yo na we leave it to the committee na ganyan, ganyan, walang mangyayari d&#x27;yan... Somebody has to decide what to do,” she said. Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga later explained that the relocation site should have structures designed to house the SBSI members.There is also grave concern about the welfare of 1,117 children who will be relocated, she said.“May sariling problema socially and culturally. So talaga pong may religious beliefs itong grupo na ito...behaviors po that is more of a cult,” Yulo-Loyzaga said.Before ending the hearing for the DENR’s proposed P24.572-billion budget for next year, Villar directed the agency officials come up “very good report” and concrete plans for SBSI members. “Dapat pagkatapos ng report mo which is published na isa na lang talaga ang nandoon [sa Sitio Kapihan],&quot; she said. Villar also raised the need to increase the P44-million budget for legislated protected areas, which span 4.5 million hectares.Technology, like the use of drones, should be considered to guard forests, the senator said.“You need money for financing drones at para sa pagbabantay. It is not practical anymore to hire security guards. We have to use technology to watch over the land,” the senator said.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2821661" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Only one of around 3,000 residents of Sito Kapihan has the legitimate right to stay in the mountain settlement, the environment department said.

Only one resident qualified to stay in Sitio Kapihan, says DENR official

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Only one resident qualified to stay in Sitio Kapihan, says DENR official

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 18, 2023 05:29 PM PHT

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