ALFONSO LISTA, IFUGAO – – Finally, they stood up ten feet tall in defense of the people and their land, and said “Enough is Enough!”
Officers and members of this town’s Liga ng mga Barangay (Association of Barangay Captains) expressed their support to the call to secure the thinning and diminishing boundary of Alfonso Lista.
The Liga’s top officers spearheaded the move to ask in turn the highly-placed officials of the provincial government to immediately act on delineating the boundaries between Ifugao and Isabela provinces.
The Liga passed recently a resolution backing the position taken to protect the land area of Alfonso Lista.
According to reliable sources, Alfonso Lista stands to lose about 10 hectares of land due to claims. These are high-valued lands.
Alfonso Lista is banking on cadastral survey 825D as its basis of telling the other claimant to “Stay out of our property!”
“The resolution just passed by the Liga officers is deeply rooted in the belief that these land portions belong to Alfonso Lista and that claims contrary to our position are clearly inimical to the interest of our people,” ABC president Billy Gonsadan told the ZigZag Weekly.
Gonsadan, who is a concurrent councilor of this largely farming town, guided his colleagues in handling this longstanding problem.
This is a manifestation that Councilor Gonsadan has political will and is willing to stand up for the Liga even when faced with great and heavy odds.
“It is extremely hard to deny that the boundary dispute is affecting both the town and the province,” he asserted.
The youthful Gonsadan is the punong barangay of Sta. Maria, the town’s premiere village where the municipal hall and public market are situated.
The present situation and the dispute of the boundary along Magat River deprive both the municipality of Alfonso Lista and the province of Ifugao of taxes and quarry fees,” the resolution pointed out.
The mammoth Magat Dam straddles towns of both Ifugao and Isabela. The dam is a major source of water for Ifugao, Isabela and other parts of northern Luzon. It also provides electricity to a significant number of households in several localities.
Thus, the 20-member Liga is seeking the intercession of Governor Jerry Dalipog, Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano and the 11-member Sanggunian Panlalawigan. A copy of the resolution is expected to be forwarded to said officials.
The Liga is also composed of Punong Barangays Bill Wooden, vice president; Alona Cadeliña, secretary; Jesus Toribio, treasurer and Kyris Jos Longbayan, auditor. The board of directors is comprised of Punong Barangays Pacifico Macadangdang Jr., Fernando Dubadob and Renato Veniegas.
Other pillars of the Liga include Punong Barangays Estelito Agus, Severino Calumpit, Renato Colayco, Danny Diego, Vemar Diego, Elorde Julian, Pedro Ochullom Jr., Aldwin Patli, Greg Ramos, Jerry Ruiz and Jovito Valenzuela.
On the other hand, Punong Barangay Valenzuela of Sto. Domingo reiterated the necessity of bringing to the attention of the provincial government’s “bigwigs” the long-pressing issue on boundary disputes with their neighboring Isabela villages.
“In the world of public service, officials need to be alert at all times, assertive at all times, and not to leave anything to chance. We have to be articulate and vocal because we are their voices,” he said.
“Filipinos look up to their barangay council officials as competent and responsible people at all times,” he quipped.
Henceforth, the actions to be taken by Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao. Governor Dalipog, Vice Governor Prudenciano as well as the board members are integral to the effort of strengthening the position taken by the Alfonso Lista Liga officers.
There is no doubt that Rep. Chungalao, a tried and tested leader at the House of Representatives, shall respond affirmatively to the Liga’s plea.
Congressman Chungalao may be prodded to resort to an inquiry, in aid of legislation to get a better perspective of the issue and map out recommendations to resolve all concerns.
At the powerful and influential Sanggunian Panlalawigan, appropriate action, of course, should be taken by Board Member Noli Maguiwe of Aguinaldo, the adjacent town of Alfonso Lista. Maguiwe is the chairman of the committee on agriculture, environment and natural resources.
Quarrying is a lucrative business in the Philippines. While the resources – particularly sand, rocks and gravel are unearthed at no cost, traders are selling them at varying market prices. Hauling cost are incurred along the way by the traders. Politicians are in control of these quarrying sites. Ironically, these are public sites and belongs to the state and the people, certainly not by private individuals! Accordingly, the assumption that Alfonso Lista, in particular, and Ifugao, in general, are experiencing substantial losses in the quarry operations stands on solid ground.
Consequently, if certain quarters here opt to say nothing on the issue and keep a “business-as-usual” attitude, Alfonso Lista shall end up a badly-bruised claimant.
Incoming generations of Alfonso Lista folks may have no land left to live or plant crops for their livelihood.
Vice Mayor Agapito Dominguez Jr. took time out on his hectic schedules to hear the views erred by the Liga officers. He also discussed closed circuit television (CCTV) plans for the towns’ barangays.
The Liga meeting, the first for this quarter, easily forged stronger ties among the village chieftains. It gave them a cause of action. They examined how the problem can affect them, and how they can get at least a measure of relief. Thus, the issuance of the resolution.
In hindsight, the just-approved Liga resolution is not just a piece of paper. It is an all-important, all-encompassing document issued by purposeful men and a woman who have long been a force of positive change in society in this part of Ifugao. For the resolution echoed their enthusiasm, optimism and hopes towards the future of Alfonso Lista and the province.
It is time for village chieftains to be at the forefront of safeguarding Alfonso Lista’s dwindling lands for a better town, for a secure future. In the long run, their constituents will discover that their actions and convictions are legacies to the future generations for they have helped many of their people meet and face the challenges with courage and confidence.
It is important to state the potential impact of a weak officialdom in pursuing boundary disputes as this one. The message is crystal clear that grassroots level officials should continue to be united as one every step of the way. It also offered the lesson or two on solidarity and bolstered their capacities in building a just, humane and progressive society.
One should always remember how David won the fight against Goliath. Aware or not of this biblical truth, the punong barangays impressed this each time they signed the resolution.** By Anthony A. Araos
