Zambales shipyard project:
From Hidden Paradise to Paradise Lost?

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.

BY A. MANGAMPO OCIONES
GITNANG LUSON NEWS SERVICE
Posted by Bulatlat

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.
 
Sleepless in paradise

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

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