There is no forcible demolition in New Clark City.” Thus said the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which oversees the development at the New Clark City. “There are no targeted Aeta communities,” according to the BCDA in a statement sent to member of the media on Thursday.
In a letter sent to Aeta informal settlers in Barangay Aranguren, Capas, Tarlac, signed by Joshua M. Bingcang, Vice President, BCDA-Business Development and Operations Group, it gave the informal settlers seven days with which to vacate the land owned by the state-run BCDA to give way for the further development of the NCC.
The letter furthered: “Nais po naming ipabatid sa inyo na ang lupain na kasalukuyang kinatitirikan ng inyong bahay/istruktura o sinasaka ninyo sa Barangay Aranguren, Capas, Tarlac, ay pagmamay-ari ng pamahalaan na nasa ilalim ng pangangasiwa ng Bases Conversion and Development Authority ayon sa Batas Republika Bilang RA 7227.
“Dahil po ditto at bilang makataong pakikitungo, kayo po ay binibigyan ng pitong (7) araw na palugit, simula sa araw ng pagkakatanggap ng liham na ito, upang makipag-ugnayan sa aming opisina at isumite sa BCDA ang mga nararapat na dokumento at gayundin ay boluntaryo o kusang loob na lisanin ang nasabing lugar at baklasin ang anumang istraktura na itinayo ninyo ditto, kung mayroon man, upang magbigau daan sa gagawin at agarang pagpapatupad ng nasabing proyekto ng gobyerno.
“Ang hindi po ninyo pagtugon sa liham na ito pagkalipas ng pitong araw ay nangangahulugan ng inyong kawalan ng interes o pagtanggi sa anumang tulong pinansiyal na ilalaan para sa inyo at mapipilitan po ang gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng BCDA na gumawa ng mga ligal na hakbang ukol sa nasabing lupain.”
The statement said the “seven-day notice issued by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is a standard follow-up letter sent to all claimants who rejected the financial assistance offered by government.” It said the “notice was given to all claimants to inform of the need to start the construction of the New Clark City to Clark International Airport access road in that particular area.”
The statement further said there “are no declared ancestral domains or Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADT) in the area. Therefore, Aeta communities are not displaced.”
A financial assistance package amounting to Php300,000 per hectare (or Php30.00/sqm) has been made available by BCDA to all project-affected people, including indigenous peoples (IPs) and farmers even at the start of the development. Relocation sites have also been provided by BCDA within New Clark City for those whose residential structures were affected.
The New Clark City continues to provide opportunities for everyone especially for the IPs/farmers who may be affected in the development of roads and other infrastructure.
There are currently 500 aetas employed in the New Clark City project.The Asian Development Bank is also working with BCDA to ensure sustainability and inclusivity of New Clark City.