CLARK FREEPORT – The Clark Development Corporation (CDC), through its Estate Preservation and Recovery Division (EPRD), recently facilitated the recovery of a 2,000 square meter government property occupied by informal settlers conducting an unregistered business activity.
Personnel from CDC – EPRD, CDC Public Safety Division (PSD), Building Facilities and Maintenance Division (BFMD), Construction Management Division (CMD), Health and Sanitation Division (HSD) and Philippine National Police (PNP) led the takeover and demolition operation on the said area located at the northern side of Clark Special Economic Zone (CZES).
According to CDC, the area which was illegally occupied by business partners Oscar Rivera and Krishayne Victoria, is within the territorial boundary of Clark Freeport Zone and is an identified property of Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
The state-owned firm initially issued a Cease and Desist Order in December last year after having found that Rivera and Victoria is using the said property to operate an unregistered hollow blocks making business without legal permits from CDC. Records from the state-owned firm also showed that Rivera and Victoria did not apply for any permit or lease agreement to conduct their business in the area. A series of correspondence and meetings were held to discuss the issue, but Rivera and Victoria were a no-show.
In his letter to CDC dated February 4, 2022, Rivera claimed that the area is part of CADT025A and is part of their ancestral domain. However, based on the survey conducted by CDC, the identified piece of land is outside the bounds of CADT025A.
Implementing its legal authority under Republic Act 7227 and Executive Order No. 80, CDC later issued a Notice to Vacate dated September 2, 2022, and ordered for its immediate implementation. Demolition activity on three structures established within the area was conducted after clearance and inventory of personal belongings were completed.
CDC said that the area was already leased to a locator in this Freeport who plans to expand its operations through a tourism-related facility that will offer an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) experience for future tourists and guests. This business operation is expected to bring more employment opportunities to residents of communities near this Freeport. Aside from this, the recovered area will also be significant in the establishment of vital infrastructure in the Freeport such as the slope protection of the Clark-Dolores Access Road.
In a statement, CDC President and CEO Manuel R. Gaerlan said that the state-owned firm will not tolerate informal settlers who occupy government property and use it for personal gains.
“We will go after informal settlers occupying government lots and property for commercial use and financial gains. While we have tolerated occupancy of lots in the Clark Freeport Zone by the less privileged families and individuals and those who were previously displaced by the effects of Mt. Pinatubo in 1990’s, CDC hopes to recover the occupied areas due to on-going and future developments and improvements in CFZ,” he added.
