PORAC, Pampanga — Some 300 houses will be built at a 4,000 square-meter land in Barangay Babo Pangulo here intended for Aetas who were displaced by the April 22 magnitude 6.1 tremor that hit this province and rest of Central Luzon.
The project, according to Governor Lilia Pineda, is a model community for Aetas complete with road networks, church, covered court, Barangay Hall, water system and plaza.
“A model community for Aetas will be built soon. It has a floor size of four-by-6 with toilet and lavatory,” said Pineda on the sidelines of an emergency meeting she called for the relocation of hundreds of Aetas whose houses were damaged by the recent earthquake.
Pineda said the provincial government provided the land while some of the construction materials including cement, steel bars, plywood and others will be donated by different businessmen, groups, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and organizations from outside of Pampanga.
Each housing unit, Pineda said, would be constructed using pre-fab concrete. “Using pre fabs, one unit could be completed in just two weeks.”
“Kapag natapos, magiging madali na lang ang pag-abot ng tulong sa mga katutubong Aeta,” the governor told reporters adding that the project would commence as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the governor is planning to seek an audience with different senators to seek help in tracing part of the ancestral domain lands which were allegedly registered to enterprising individuals.
“Merong committee sa Senate na may hawak sa ancestral domain. Dun ako hihingi ng tulong para maimbestigahan kung paano nabigyan ng titulo ang mga lupa sa loob ng ancestral domain,” Pineda told reporters shortly after the meeting Monday (May 27).
Pineda expressed disappointment against the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and other concerned agencies for allowing some individuals to secure land titles in areas under the ancestral domain in Porac and Floridablanca towns.
A total of 35,000 hectares of lands in both Porac and Floridablanca towns are under the ancestral domain.