- written by Mamer Bañez
CASIGURAN, Aurora -- The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) reiterated its pledge to protect the ancestral domain of the Dumagats in North Eastern Luzon.
Robbie Mathay, CEO and president of Apeco, said Apeco would help the Dumagats protect and preserve their ancestral lands through projects that promote eco-tourism.
In the next few years, APECO sees tourism activities in Casiguran managed by the Bantay-Gubat from the indigenous Dumagat community.
Bantay-Gubat is a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) project that hires emergency forest extension workers that would act as forest guards. They have the following duties: patrolling, monitoring for any sign of forest fire, seed collection, information gathering about ongoing activities, and assisting in information dissemination.
Dumagat leaders underscored the importance of cooperating with Apeco, coming in full support during the budget hearing in Senate last month. “We won’t accept money from Apeco,” said Conchita Descarga, Community Relations Officer of the Dumagats.
“We don’t need money, we need land. With regards to ancestral domain, Apeco knows our lands and they respect that it is ours,” she added, disputing claims of land grabbing.
Robbie Mathay, CEO and president of Apeco, said Apeco would help the Dumagats protect and preserve their ancestral lands through projects that promote eco-tourism.
In the next few years, APECO sees tourism activities in Casiguran managed by the Bantay-Gubat from the indigenous Dumagat community.
Bantay-Gubat is a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) project that hires emergency forest extension workers that would act as forest guards. They have the following duties: patrolling, monitoring for any sign of forest fire, seed collection, information gathering about ongoing activities, and assisting in information dissemination.
Dumagat leaders underscored the importance of cooperating with Apeco, coming in full support during the budget hearing in Senate last month. “We won’t accept money from Apeco,” said Conchita Descarga, Community Relations Officer of the Dumagats.
“We don’t need money, we need land. With regards to ancestral domain, Apeco knows our lands and they respect that it is ours,” she added, disputing claims of land grabbing.
