This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 6, March 12-18, 2006
Zambales
shipyard project:
BY A. MANGAMPO OCIONES Subic, Zambales —
In the 1960s, Sitio Agusuhin in Bgy. Cawag,
Subic, Zambales was a
paradise for many families seeking land and jobs. But today, a vibrant community
of some 300 families along with their farms, a rich fishing ground, their school
and churches may be lost to Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd.,
a South Korean company that plans to turn the former American naval training
area into a giant shipbuilding complex. Agusuhin, about 30 minutes
by boat off the coast of Subic town (138 kms. north of Manila), straddles a
230-ha.land leased by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to Hanjin to build
a USD one billion steel structure fabrication yard expected to generate 15,000
to 40,000 jobs. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
witnessed the signing of the agreement last Feb. 28 in Malacañang Palace. Trade and Industry
Secretary Peter Favila even drummed up the signing as proof of foreign
investors’ confidence in the country despite the destabilization plots against
the government. Clearly, this is positive sign that the confidence in this
government remains,” media reports quoted Favila as saying. The shipyard, which is
envisioned to be fully operational by 2016, will build liquefied natural gas
(LNG) carriers and very large container carriers (VLCC) for customers around the
world. Roots Resie Acero, 58 years old,
has all the reasons to be emotional about the fate of the agricultural community
with its century-old mango and pine trees and white beach. “Our family was among the
very first settlers here,” she claims. Her father, Filomeno Ballon settled in
the area in 1950s but she herself has lived in the area since 1967. “Madawag pa ito noon,
wala pang kahit ano at may kural ng baka ni Dela Paz. Meron na ding 12 o 15 puno
ng mangga (This was all forest then,
there was nothing but a cow corral owned by a certain Dela Paz and some 12-15
mango trees),” Acero recounts. In 1959, the United States
Armed Forces stationed at the Subic military base complex started to hold naval
training exercises in the nearby mountains, an opportunity taken to good use by
enterprising residents. “Naghanap ng
cool soda
yung mga nagte-treyning na ‘Merkano sa anak kong babae”
(American navy men who were training asked my daughter for cool soda), Fausta
Ballon, now more than 80 years old recalls. “Kinabukasan, nag-renta kami ng
bangka at nagdala nga kami ng soda sa Agusuhin” (The next day, we rented a
boat and brought back soda to Agusuhin.) “Malaki yung kinita
namin dun. Yung ibang mangingisda na maganda ang negosyo, gumaya sila”
(Business was good then. Soon, even some fishermen who saw us bringing the sodas
also went into business), Ballon recounted further, noting how the community
grew from only seven families in the 1960s to almost 300 today. Since then, the community
became a haven for vendors selling food and beverages to the American trainees,
and for scavengers who gathered scrap metal from bombs and other weapons used in
the trainings. A history of
eviction threats Threats of eviction are not
new for Agusuhin residents. In 1973, American navy
officials conducted a census and certified 27 households as legitimate residents
with the purpose of relocating them. “Dumating ang
pinakamataas na Kano. Cinensus nila kami, nilitratuhan ang mga bahay, tapos
ipinadala sa Washington” (The
highest ranking American officer came. They conducted a census, took pictures of
our houses and sent them to Washington), Anita Fausto, another elderly resident
recalls. “Binigyan kami ng 15
days para umalis pero ipinaglaban kami ng kapitan del baryo. Hindi na kami
pinaalis pero sinabihan kami na tama na, huwag nang magdagdag”
(They gave us 15 days to leave but the barrio chieftain fought for us. The
Americans allowed us to stay on the condition that no new settlers will be
allowed in our community), Fausto narrates. The 1991 explosion of Mt.
Pinatubo, the rejection of the RP-U.S. Military Bases Agreement and subsequent
pullout of American forces triggered another wave of residents and soon, a new
threat of eviction. Sometime in 1997, Shell
Philippines Exploration, B.V. (SPEX) occupied 400,000 sq. m. of Sitio Agusuhin
to house its concrete gravity structure, a component of the Malampaya Natural
Gas Power Project. “Nakuha ang palayan ko,
hanggang ngayon hindi ako nabayaran”
(They took our rice fields, but until now, we haven’t been paid) Fausto recalls.
“Ino-offeran ako ng Shell pero hindi ako pumayag dahil ang gusto ko, lahat
kami bayaran” (Shell offered to pay me but I refused because I want all of
us to be paid). Shell eventually paid all
the affected residents but Fausto was not given her due and a case filed by the
company against her still awaits decision by the court. With the Hanjin project
again threatening their community, residents say they suffer from sleepless
nights. “Pangatlo na ito na
kami ay pinasok dito. Naliligalig ako, hindi na ako makatulog” (This
is the third time that we have been intruded. I am worried and I cannot sleep),
Fausto said. “Hindi namin alam kung
saan kami malilipat. Sa gabi, hindi na kami nakakatulog, hindi na rin
nakakapangisda kasi baka dumating ang magde-demolis, gibain na lang ang mga
tahanan naming” (We don’t know where
we will be relocated. We can hardly sleep at night, we cannot even fish because
the demolition team might come anytime and demolish our homes),” says Rolando
Valenzuela, the local high school’s property custodian. Reynaldo Samonte,
Chairperson of Samahan ng Malaya at Nagkakaisang Residente ng Agusuhin (SAMANRA,
Organization of Free and United Residents of Agusuhin) explained that the
present problem started in June 2005 with the arrival of Sonny Pumarada, a
consultant for the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). In November 2005, Samonte
claims, rival Agusuhin Neighborhood Association (ANA) conducted consultations by
calling all it’s cluster officers to a meeting and presenting the Hanjin
project. The harassments started
shortly after. “Nagpalaganap na sila
ng pagbabanta na pag hindi daw nagpabayad, walang mapapala, bubuldoserin na lang”
(They issued threats that for those who don’t want to be paid, their houses will
be bulldozed), Samonte said. No relocation Contrary to earlier media
reports, there is no relocation site for the community, said Samonte. “May relokasyon daw.
Saan? ‘Doon.’ Saan doon? ‘Diyan.’ Hindi naman pwedeng ganon”
(They say there’s a relocation site. Where? They say ‘Over there.’ There is no
definite answer and that’s unacceptable), Samonte said. The demolition of houses
supposedly paid for by Hanjin started Feb. 6. As of this writing, 25 houses were
already demolished and in the next few days or weeks, about a hundred more may
be destroyed without any relocation for the residents. “They gave us a quotation
for PhP 274,000 for our house and trees,” Anthony Gantang said as he pointed to
a pile of rubble where his demolished home used to stand. “Then they told us
that 30 percent will be deducted from the amount if we failed to collect the
cheque within seven days.” “Considering the amount
which might go to waste, we relented and allowed our homes to be demolished even
without a definite area where we can transfer,” Gantang explains. He points to the one
remaining room where he and his family stay. When asked what will happen if the
remaining room is demolished, he said in a threatening tone, “Hindi ko na
alam ang mangyayari” (I’m not sure what will happen). Self-made If there is such a thing as
a self-made community, Sitio Agusuhin is one. “Nakapagtayo kami ng
mga istruktura at pasilidad na hindi lumapit sa anumang ahensya ng gobyerno.
Sariling sikap, sariling gawa, ayon sa bayanihan”
(We were able to construct structures and facilities without assistance from the
government. We practiced self-reliance and mutual aid),” community leader
Samonte said. Residents recalled that
construction of the facilities started with Filomeno Ballon’s wife, Fausta, who
succeeded him as village captain after his death. “Itinayo ang eskwelahan
dahil sa balikatan ng tao. Naitayo ang dalawang kwarto ng
Grade I sa tulong ng mga nagte-treyning na
Kano. Sumunod ang
health center, tapos ang kapilya, basketball court,” Ressie
Acero narrates. “Yung lagoon, naabutan na namin iyan, pero napaganda pa rin
sa tulong ng Pilipinas Shell Foundation.” (The school was built
through a community effort and help from American soldiers who were undergoing
training. Then we built the health center, the chapel and the basketball court.
We improved the lagoon with help from the Pilipinas Shell Foundation.) “Marami na kaming
sakripisyo para sa komunidad na ito, pero mawawala lang lahat ito dahil sa
proyekto” (We have done a lot of
sacrifices for this community, but all this will be gone because of the
project), Acero lamented. At Cawag Resettlement High
School (Agusuhin Annex), an additional building stands unfinished, a testament
to the uncertainty shared by its teachers and staff. “Hanggang ngayon, wala
pa kaming alam na paglilipatan. Ang hiling lang sana namin, ibigay ang karapatan
sa mga bata at gawing mas maganda pa”
(We have no place to transfer the school. We ask that they respect the rights of
the children and improve the school), Rolando Valenzuela, the school’s property
custodian said. SAMANRA Disappointed with Agusuhin
Neighborhood Association (ANA), residents rallied behind another organization.
About two hundred heads of families formed the Samahan ng Malaya at Nagkakaisang
Residente ng Agusuhin (SAMANRA or Association of Free and United Residents of
Agusuhin) in January this year. “At first we were not
against the project because we thought the country will gain from it,” Samonte
said. “But from what we experienced, we decided to oppose the project. Our
situation has become pitiful. If this is a national investment, they should have
taken cared of us first.” Against all odds, SAMANRA
leaders hope their efforts will preserve a paradise that is also their home.
Gitnang Luson News Service / Posted by Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
■
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From Hidden Paradise to Paradise Lost?
GITNANG LUSON NEWS SERVICE
Posted by Bulatlat
Sleepless in paradise