Time To Review Aklan’s Priority

National Irrigation Administration (NIA) data show that it cost the government P80,000 just to irrigate 1.0 ha. of riceland in 1995. After almost two decades, this figure could be doubled today. Considering food security particularly rice self-sufficiency of present and future generations, the Department of Agrarian Reform along with DA, DENR, NIA and LGU crafted a joint policy to regulate the conversion or land use reclassification. The rationale is to prevent the whimsical and arbitrary decision covering lands under Strategic Agricultural and Fisheries Development Zone (SADZ) and network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-Industral Development (NPAAD).

Any formal request addressed to the Director, Regional Center for Land Use Planning and Policy Implementation includes 25 pertinent documents which are: 1. true copy of Original Certificate of Title, 2. True Copy Current Tax Declaration, 3. Project Feasibility Study, 4. Joint Venture Agreement between Landowner and Developer, 5. Narrative Description of Development Plan, 6. Proof of Financial and Organizational Capability of the Developer, 7. Socio-Economic Cost Benefit Study, 8. MARO Certification, 9. Housing Land Use Regulatory Board Certification, 10. DA Certification, 11. DENR Certification, and 14 others. Depending upon the speed of accomplishing different forms/papers, processing and follow-up, it would take any applicant 6-12 months to complete the documents. In addition, a filing fee of P1,750 and inspection fee of P5,000 must be paid before action on the application starts.  

The regulatory form of the government unit is decidedly stringent but well placed. This is embodied in Local Government Code of 1991. The Sangguniang Bayan is empowered to pass a resolution declaring certain areas either agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial or institutional. Once confirmed by the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator of a town, the proposed area falls inside declared zone, the Building official issues the building permit. 

Under the scheme, landowners and property developers manage to convert large tracts of fully irrigated ricelands to other uses because of inherent loopholes. The favorite targets are lands adjacent to national, provincial, barangay and access roads of NIA. Landowners could withhold the planting of rice at least for 3 year period. Flaunting the law is rampant because no landowner or property developer has ever been prosecuted or convicted in court. Popular belief is that buildings and other infra development are parts of progress and stability.

In reality, they may not be rightfully conclusive. For instance, KIA runway expansion of 500 x 200 meters going to Tigayon effectively affects 100 hectares of fully irrigated riceland. The planned Kalibo circumferential road commencing from Pook, Kalibo to Kalibo Bridge 2 at Tigayon and from Mina, Lezo to Dumga, Makato will entail a total distance of 11.4 kms. Highway financed from a loan by World Bank will have a width of 20 meters. Again the proposed road will traverse barangay roads of prime riceland in Carugdog, Lezo and Calangcang, Makato. The existing 6 meter wide will be expanded three (3) times. That the total ricelands affected by highway project and runway expansion is 319.0 hectares.

As of August 16, 2011, DAR provincial office data show that a total of 28 landowners and property developers have converted their agricultural lands to other uses. The aggregate area of 277.3 hectares is located in Malay, Nabas, Kalibo, Makato, Lezo, Banga, Batan, New Washington and Numancia. The majority have proposed land use for commercial, tourism, residential and institutional purposes. The biggest investor is Akean Resort Corporation in Nabas with an area of 117.6 hectares whose interest is tourism and recreation. 

One cannot begrudge the socio-economic benefits of the circumferential road project to tourists, traders, commuters and cargo trucks passing the Republic Nautical highway. What is more damming and insidious than seeing in the near future is the unbridled construction of residential, commercial and industrial establishments along the infra facility. This scenario is happening right now along the superhighway linking Kalibo to Caticlan that is being widened to 4 lanes and modernized.

With hundreds of hectares of prime lands gone to infra development through legal and illegal conversions, Aklan will become rice importer. Out of 17,120 hectares, only 6,712 hectares or 39.0 percent is irrigated. Moreover, population pressure and modernization, irrigated areas will shrink. Who cares? 

There is still the smuggled rice from Vietnam and Thailand coming by the shiploads every week according to Agaton Ubero, Deputy Customs Commissioner. But rice costing P5.00 more per kilogram is getting beyond the reach of poor households. With livelihood and shelter gone due to supertyphoon Yolanda, the poor are living in hovels or makeshift shelters, (while the Aklan SP is determined to construct a luxurious and magnificent SP building).   

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that provinces like Iloilo, Zamboanga del Sur, Negros Occ. Quezon, Cebu and others may be growing but their poorest families are being left behind. The main reason is that the growing sector does not require the goods or services that the poor can provide. 

Aklan is a billionaire province, yet it has 26,485 households 4P’s beneficiaries or 158,910 Aklanons at six members per household. This number is 1/3 or about 30 percent of Aklan’s population. This is deplorable, unsustainable and abets indolence. It is best under the circumstances to balance infra and tourism development with that of agriculture and fisheries since they are the primordial lifeblood of Philippine economy.

Presently, Boracay tourism may be booming but until now the Department of Tourism has not come up with a research study on its carrying load capacity. Area is teeming with 28,369 native and migrant population (NSO May 1, 2010). Why do we concentrate on a small island of roughly 1,000 hectares when it is actually “dying” due to congestion and over development? It is high time to re-examine our values and review the priorities. /MP