PALAYAN CITY – The mayor of this city knelt before a female constituent in Barangay Militar here in passionate appeal for a copy of documents that will free the entire community of over 5,770 people from the bondage of being informal settlers Saturday.
Hundreds of people, including barangay and environment officials, were surprised when Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas knelt before Marlyn Seranilla while the latter, was saying she will not provide the government a copy of the
complete survey return which her group called Samahang Magsasaka, possesses for initiating a move for land titling sometime in early year 2000 unless the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) makes a letter of request.
Earlier in the meeting which coincided with the village mandated assembly, headed by Chairwoman Bibiana Abesamis, Cuevas appealed to anyone who might be in possession of a copy of the documents which were pre-requisite on the titling processes based on the decision issued by former DENR Sec. Lito Atienza.
Engr. Roberto Quizon, in charge of survey division of the DENR’s Land Management Services, said the agency could not start process of titling unless they found the returns which include the subdivision plan conducted by a certain Engr. Valerio.
“We are directed to respect it,” Quizon said, saying the agency’s copy might have been misplaced somewhere. He explained that Barangay Militar is titled under the Republic of the Philippines, being former part of the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, that was declared a barrio under Proclamation 709 issued by Pres. Corazon Aquino on March26, 1991.
“Sa dami po ng usapin na natapos dun sa isang compromise agreement na sinusugan ng isang order ni Sec. Atienza then na ituloy yung survey ni Engr. Valerio subject sa actual tagging. Doon po mag-uumpisa ang lahat,” Quizon said stressing the need for everyone’s cooperation.
He said he had met with Seranilla’s group a few days back for the reconstruction of documents. He said the titling will be completed within a year once they found Valerio’s survey returns. While kneeling, the tearyeyed first term mayor reiterated her appeal. “Ilabas niyo na.
Hindi para sa akin ito. Para sa inyong lahat ito.” Seranilla, insisting that the DENR should write them a letter first, herself tried to stop Cuevas from kneeling but she ended up kneeling too to persuade the mayor to stand.
These made other residents cry. “Nalungkot ako,” said Abesamis. Cuevas said she could understand why Seranilla, a public school teacher, should ask for a formal invitation only to provide them a copy of the required documents.
“Tagarito naman siya, ako nanggaling pa sa malayo para maayos na. Matagal na itong problema,” Cuevas said. She said she feels sorry that the residents remain informal settlers after so many years. When they stood up, Seranilla turned over the documents to Quizon.
Barrio Militar was created on March 20, 1960 under General Orders No. 58, Headquarters 1st Infantry Division (then called Tabak). A barrio captain was appointed by the Army’s commanding general and the first barrio council was organized with an Army officer designated as supervisor to help administer the barrio.
It was legally separated from the military reservation by virtue of PP 709 signed by Aquino on March 26, 1991.
The 194-hectare village is now home to 1,343 families or 5,776 people, based on the 2013 survey.
