The indigenous Molbog and Cagayanin of Maria Hangin Island, Bugsuk, Balabac, Palawan are appealing for help as armed security personnel allegedly from San Miguel Corporation’s Bricktree Properties Inc. have swarmed the village and are driving the Indigenous Peoples away from their ancestral land and waters since June 29, 2024.

On June 27, 2024, staff from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) initially went to the island to inform the people that they would start demolishing their homes to begin the construction of an eco-luxury tourism project covering more than 5,000 hectares in Barangay Bugsok including Maria Hangin Island.

Jomly Callon, the President of the Sambilog-Balik Bugsuk Movement said that the security personnel have been attacking them by pointing guns and even firing at the people including children. Previously, there have been efforts from the San Miguel Corporation to buy off several land owners and some families have already opted to receive the payment and leave the island due to relentless intimidation. Callon said 20 households have left Maria Hangin Island. There are now 138 households left from 158 initially. Callon emphasized that they will not leave their ancestral domain that their ancestors defended. The Indigenous and non-indigenous families today are thriving on the island by seaweed farming, fishing, and planting root crops and vegetables and they will not exchange this for any amount offered.

The Indigenous Peoples of Bugsuk including Pala’wan, Molbog and Cagayanin have been repeatedly pushed to the margins for business interest since 1974. Callon recalled that during the eviction in 1974, the Molbog people of Maria Hangin resisted. When the Philippine Constabulary went to the island, his grandfather stood in front of the soldiers and ordered them to break his head before driving his people away. The eviction was stopped and the Molbog people remained in Maria Hangin Island.

“Masakit po para sa amin na isipin ang nangyayari ngayon dito sa amin,” (My heart bleeds for what is happening now in our home).

The presence of armed men on the island has also been posted to social media by a resident who is trying to raise awareness and appeal for support. The resident called the attention of local authorities to intervene. A local vlogger also posted shelling from the incident of the shooting that left profound trauma among the villagers. The social media post also mentioned that the police officers who responded to the call for help did apprehend the security personnel.

Timeline of Indigenous Peoples rights violations in Bugsuk

1974

In the Narration of Callon, the Indigenous Pala’wan, Molbog, and Cagayanin were driven away from their 10,821-hectare islands of Bugsuk and Pandanan during the Martial Law in favor of Danding Cojuangco’s business interest. The Philippine Constabulary ruthlessly drove them away and only the 38-hectare Maria Hangin Island was left. When most of the Indigenous Peoples left the area, Conjuangco set up a nursery for hybrid coconut trees.

1979

A study by the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. in 2005 revealed that in 1979, Cojuangco partnered with a French businessman, Jacques Branellec, and set up the Jewelmer International Corporation. Jewelmer established a pearl farm in the ancestral waters of Indigenous Peoples. Jewelmer soon expanded and committed grave abuse against indigenous and non-indigenous fisherfolks surrounding Bugsuk island.

2000

Indigenous and non-indigenous groups in Bugsuk and neighboring islands formed the SAMBILOG (Samahan ng mga Katutubo at Maliit na Mangingisda sa Dulong Timog Palawan) or the Association of Indigenous Peoples and Small Fishers from the Southernmost Tip of Palawan. This is in response to the continuing land grabbing and shrinking access to fishing grounds among Indigenous and non-indigenous fisherfolk. They are united in their goals to regain access to their fishing grounds and obtain recognition of Molbog and Pala’wan’s ancestral land and water rights. Over the years, Sambilog has carried out many activities to achieve the said goals. The Indigenous Molbog has also applied for a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) but to this writing, the application has not been acted upon by the government.

2005

Callon further narrated that the municipal government of Balabac enacted an ordinance declaring the whole Balabac municipality as a protected marine eco-region without consulting the Indigenous Peoples. The said ordinance has prohibited the Indigenous People from conducting fishing activities in their traditional fishing grounds. This has also affected the small non-indigenous fisherfolk in the area. It has ended one of their major livelihoods making them trespassers in their traditional fishing ground. The Jewelmer however continued and even expanded its pearl production.

2014

The Sambilog carried out protest activities in Manila to call for the distribution of their lands in Bugsuk by virtue of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER). The DAR then issued a Notice of Coverage.

2023

Nine years after DAR issued a Notice of Coverage, nothing happened. They have not reclaimed their land and access to their ancestral waters. In 2023, the DAR canceled the Notice of Coverage. According to Callon, the reason for the cancellation is that the area is not suitable for agricultural activities. Callon outrightly belied this reason, pointing out that they have been cultivating the land by planting diverse vegetables and fruit trees.

Calls

Callon is appealing to the public to help amplify what is happening on Maria Hangin Island. He is also calling for the government to intervene on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples and for once, sincerely consider the plights.

Other sources:

Brigada News. (2023, June 29). Isang kilusan tutol sa public hearing sa eco-tourism project sa Palawan. Brigada News. https://www.brigadanews.ph/isang-kilusan-tutol-sa-public-hearing-sa-eco-tourism-project-sa-palawan/

Environmental Management Bureau MIMAROPA. (2024, April). Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) summary for public [PDF]. Environmental Management Bureau MIMAROPA. https://mimaropa.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/EIS-Summary-for-Public.pdf

LiCAS.news. (2024, July 1). Church in Palawan expresses concern over harassment of Mariahangin Island residents. LiCAS.news. https://philippines.licas.news/2024/07/01/church-in-palawan-expresses-concern-over-harassment-of-mariahangin-island-residents/

Palawan News. (2023, June 30). Balabac indigenous group opposes SMC-backed ecotourism project. Palawan News. https://palawan-news.com/balabac-indigenous-group-opposes-smc-backed-ecotourism-project/

Radyo Bandera Philippines. (2024, July 3). Photos showing the ammunition shelling from shooting incident in Maria Hangin Island. [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/u1QR7FjVADXnNX7r/

The Access Initiative. (2022, October). PNNI case study report 7 [PDF]. The Access Initiative. https://accessinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/pnni_case_study_report-7.pdf