GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 July)—The local government unit of Tupi, South Cotabato is seeking the creation of a village allegedly within the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MPPL), with the plebiscite set on July 13.
If ratified, the new village will be named after the grandfather of Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. The proposed Barangay Juan-Loreto Tamayo will be carved from Barangays Linan, Miasong, and Cebuano.
The proposal, however, has raised the eyebrows of local environmentalists and conservation advocates as the subject area is allegedly within the MPPL, which is covered by Republic Act 11038 or the Enhanced Integrated Protected Area System Act (E-NIPAS) designed to enhance biological diversity and protected against human exploitation.
Tupi Mayor Romeo Tamayo has informed Barangay Linan chairperson Reynaldo Alburo Jr. of the conduct of a plebiscite to ratify the creation of Juan-Loreto Tamayo.
Attached in Tamayo’s letter is the copy of Commission on Elections Resolution No. 10993, indicating the calendar of activities and prohibited acts in connection with the plebiscite.
“Thank you for your usual support and cooperation,” Tamayo said in a letter dated May 21, which this reporter obtained Thursday, July 11.
Resolution 10993, which was promulgated by the Comelec last May 3, sets the campaign period for the plebiscite from June 22 to July 11, which includes the holding of barangay assemblies or “pulong-pulongs.” The entire plebiscite period was set from June 13 to July 20.
Bren Tamayo, designated Tupi tourism officer, said the creation of Barangay Juan-Loreto Tamayo is being pushed since Gov. Tamayo was the municipal mayor. The governor was Tupi mayor for three terms, from 2010 to 2019.
“The proposed village is already populated, mostly by Blaan indigenous peoples,” he said in a phone interview Thursday.
The Save Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (SMMPL) expressed fears the creation of a new village will attract the influx of people or investors, which could deteriorate the area’s natural protected landscape.
The group noted that so far, it has observed “the massive and continuing selling of our forest lands, the proliferation of business establishments, development of millionaire’s village and illegal constructions of buildings and houses despite the notice of violations and stoppage orders issued by Mt. Matutum Protected Area Management Board.”
The SMMPL urged the Senate and the House of Representatives to conduct a joint oversight committee investigation “in aid of legislation” to arrest the continuing destruction and seemingly deliberate alteration of the natural beauty of Mt. Matutum.
The management board of the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape, which is under the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-South Cotabato of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is headed by Efren Hibaler, protected area supervisor. MindaNews sought him for comments but did not return calls.
Richel Castor, election assistant officer 2 at the Comelec in Tupi town, said in a separate phone interview that the proposed Barangay Juan-Loreto Tamayo would have a land area of 2,304.58 hectares.
Of that size, at least 1,489.78 would be taken from Barangay Miasong, 292.25 hectares from Barangay Cebuano, and 522.55 hectares from Barangay Linan, she added.
The three villages have 9,765 registered voters, Castro said.
She said the creation of the new village will be ratified if more than 50% of the votes favor the measure. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
