Government Employees for Genuine Land Reform

National Secretariat 118 Sct. Rallos Street, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City 9295342

POSITION PAPER:

Resist APECO! Defend Aurora and Its People from Economic, Ecological and Cultural Catastrophe! No to Anti-People Development!
Amidst the political turmoil of the Arroyo administration characterized by rampant impunity and politics of patronage and survival, the Republic Act 9490 or the Aurora Special Economic Zone Act of 2007 and the Republic Act 10083 or the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Act of 2010 (APECO) were railroaded into law and amended to expand its coverage from 500-hectares to 12,923-hectares of land in Casiguran, Aurora. Authored by then-Senate President Edgardo Angara, the abovementioned law established a special economic zone referred to as the Aurora Ecozone which encompassed Barangays Esteves, Dibet and Dibacong in the Municipality of Casiguran, Aurora and affected approximately 22,403 residents, majority of whom were composed of peasants, fisherfolk and indigenous peoples. The said law was passed sans committee hearings and public dialogue in an obvious bias for the interest of the Angaras who are prominent landlords and businessmen in Aurora. To accommodate the family enterprise, the Arroyo administration passed the law despite widespread protests from peasants, advocates and supporters. Further scrutiny reveals that the implementation of the APECO comes with concrete economic, ecological and cultural risks for the residents of Casiguran. For instance, the construction of the APECO administration building, entrance plaza and airstrip necessarily translated to widespread land-grabbing through the cancellation of numerous Original Certificates of Title (OCT), Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) provided under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and Certificates of Stewardship Contract (CSC) provided under former President Manuel L. Quezons Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) Proclamation 467 for indigenous peoples. Farmers were dispossessed and displaced in favor of foreign investors and landlords who stood to benefit from the APECO. Because of rampant land-grabbing and land use conversion, the food security of the people of Casiguran is also compromised. Under the threat of land use conversion, Casiguran and Aurora people may lose about 961 to 1,281 metric tons of rice supply. As a result, approximately 4,336 families are potential victims of local food shortage and hunger. Casiguran residents also voiced earlier concerns regarding environmental destruction due to the excavation of hills and the construction of a massive seaport. Moreover, residents critical of the APECO are subjected to political harassment and repression due to their resistance. Elements of the 48th Infantry Battalion converted the Esteves Brgy. Hall into a military detachment; while regular patrols and household checks are conducted in Brgy. Cozo, Culat and San Ildefonso, targeting individuals and groups opposing APECO. The continuing implementation of the APECO undoubtedly threatens the right to land and livelihood of the Aurora people. Government Employees for Genuine Land Reform (GE4GLR), an alliance composed of government employees unions united in calling for land, justice and genuine land reform, hereby pledge our support and echo the demands of the people of Casiguran and Aurora to immediately: REPEAL Republic Act 10083 or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Act of 2010, STOP the on-going projects that infringe the peoples right to land and livelihood, DISMISS ejection cases against farmers, BAR demolition operations, SCRAP the proposed P 332.5 million APECO budget, and RECOGNIZE, PROTECT and PROMOTE the rights of farmers, fisher folk, indigenous peoples and other sectors to land and livelihood.