LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Indigenous Peoples (IP) elders in the municipality expressed their continuing protest to the implementation of the Benguet State University (BSU) housing project in barangay Wangal and urged the Registry of Deeds in Benguet to cease and desist from issuing transfers of ownership or titles within the said project site considering that it is situated in a declared watershed.
In a protest letter submitted to the Registry of Deeds in Benguet, the La Trinidad Indigenous Peoples Organization Council of Elders pointed out that the site of the housing project is a home to more or less 50,000 trees and within the area of 5 natural springs that provide water for residents in the area, neighboring municipalities, for irrigation and domestic purposes and for the capital town.
The IPs stated that the recent damages left by previous weather disturbances to the community gave them no other remedy but to protect the town’s natural resources considering that their sources of livelihood depends on the water that the 132,509-square meter watershed provides.
The IPs attached to their letter a petition for the recall of Presidential Proclamation No. 637 from barangay Wangal that was received by the Office of the President on October 26, 2011; a separate petition for the recall of the same Proclamation that was signed by residents and members of the IPs in the municipality; Resolution No. 222, series of 2011 signed and unanimously carried by the municipal council of La Trinidad in its regular meeting on September 6, 2011 and received by the Office of the President on October 26, 2011; Resolution No. 7, series of 2011 signed and unanimously approved by the La Trinidad Water District on September 8, 2011 and received by the Office of the President on October 26, 2011; Resolution No. 23, series of 2011 signed and unanimously approved by the barangay council of Puguis dated June 8, 2011 and received by the Office of the President on October 26, 2011 and Resolution No. 25, 2011 signed and unanimously carried by the barangay council of Being on July 8, 2011 and received by the Office of the President on October 26, 2011.
The IP elders prayed for the issuance of whatever reliefs that will be available from the said office to prevent the implementation of the housing project of the State-run higher education institution.
The IPs expressed fear that the continued implementation of the housing project will have a serious negative impact to the state of the watershed and will contribute to the depletion of the supply of potable water supply for the increasing population in the different barangays of the municipality.
Aside from the officials of the council of elders, signatories to the protest letter include members and barangay elder leaders, representatives and advisers.
All the aforesaid resolutions sought for the immediate repeal of the assailed Presidential Proclamation to prevent the continuation of the implementation for the housing project considering that it will be detrimental to the efforts of concerned government agencies and the municipal government to preserve and protect the town’s state of the environment as part of the municipality had been declared watershed areas.
By HENT
