BIBAK dorm/lot reclamation

Clamor to reclaim BIBAK dorm lot grows

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY – “The BIBAK lot belongs to the Cordilleran students and should be utilized by them freely”, said BIBAK (Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao, Kalinga association) elders from the 70’s to the 90’s in a press conference which they boldly conducted at the BIBAK hall that is alleged to be unlawfully occupied and currently utilized as the Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) office and a barangay office.

Following the countless attempts by the city mayor’s office to demolish the said hall and other illegally erected structures, BIBAK elders revealed before the media a copy of a tax declaration of real property naming BIBAK as the owners of the area which spans to 5,000 square meters.

Also, they cited the 1961 Certificate of Title 1 favoring the erection of the BIBAK dormitories to gratify the housing needs of BIBAK students. However, as the years passed, the BIBAK dormitories deteriorated and was replaced by a smaller structure hence the BIBAK hall, and a lot happened since then; from the entry of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) claiming ownership of the land to the leasing out parcels of land to entrepreneurs creating more problems.

Opportunists inside BIBAK lot

Problems develop when certain individuals under the banner of the paramilitary CPLA started utilizing the area as their office and place of business. Stories came out that these individuals were collecting rent money from BIBAK students wanting to utilize the area in the guise of maintenance fees.

In a separate interview, Jerry Gittabao former University of Baguio BIBAK officer recalled paying out rent money to the CPLA occupying the hall for them to use for their cultural workshops. However, in the middle of their cultural workshops they were asked to leave by the same individuals who they paid rent money to.

“They asked us to give any amount in our capacity as students. Recognizing that they needed to refill their water drums for cleaning, we passed the hat among our fellow BIBAK and we were able to collect 200 pesos which we handed to them, but still they wanted more. Though they did not expressly asked for more, we assumed that they did anyways because, what else could be the reason they impolitely interrupted us in the middle of our activity and rudely asking us to leave the hall”, said Gittabao.

Aside from the exploitation of BIBAK students wanting to utilize the hall, CPLA also claims ownership to parcels of land in the area. Aling Sherley (name is withheld upon her request) a three year tenant of a commercial structure in the area said that she is paying monthly rent to somebody who claims to be the owner of the land. She refused to give out the name however she said that the person belongs to a group occupying the hall as their office.

“I have no knowledge about the history as to the real owner is. As far as I’m concerned, they leased me a commercial area for me to do my business which in return I pay their asking rent fees”, said Aling Sherley.

Another tenant, Randy Aguilar, who agreed to be named, discloses to this author that one Contancio Manglan and other two individuals run the BIBAK lot. According to Aguilar, Manglan and the other two individuals sort of divided the whole BIBAK lot three ways as their territories. According to him, they collect rent fees and lease out a commercial structure based on their territory. He added, aside from leasing out commercial structures to interested entrepreneurs, these three also erected their own residential houses inside the BIBAK lot.

Reclamation of BIBAK lot

According to records, there are at least 50 private individuals who are illegally occupying the BIBAK lot. According to the BIBAK elders, these illegal settlers entered the vicinity without the permission of proper authorities thus depriving the BIBAK students the rights of utilizing the property. And because of this, they now call for the repossession of the BIBAK lot from these illegal settlers and shall once again construct the BIBAK dormitories at the same time establish a cultural workshop center.

“Once given the legal permission, we will request these illegal settlers inside and outside the BIBAK hall to peacefully vacate the lot”, said the current Interim BIBAK Dormitories Inc. President Sonny Bugnosen.

Marifel Macalanda of the Cordillera Youth Center (CYC) lauded the move to reclaim BIBAK lot. “The BIBAK lot should serve its true purpose and intent. Let’s uphold what the founders of the BIBAK dorm envisioned before, that is, to provide home for the needy Cordilleran students. Hence, lessening their financial burden to rent boarding houses and pay their already steep tuition fees”, said Macalanda.

The reclamation of the BIBAK lot has been one of the campaigns of CYC over the years. “CYC has always been hopping to universities lending a voluntary helping hand to unite BIBAK student leaders and organizers from different schools for the formation of a centralized BIBAK Federation” said Macalanda.

According to her, reclamation of the BIBAK lot can only be possible through a solid and united BIBAK students themselves. “Let’s again revive the militancy of our Cordilleran students through BIBAK and reclaiming the BIBAK lot is just the first step.

Lest we forget BIBAK students before were actively involved in different kinds of socio-political and environmental issues affecting Cordillera and they won these struggles through their collective efforts”, said Macalanda.

Meanwhile, recognizing the effect to the informal settlers if the reclamation of BIBAK prospers, Gittabao asked proper authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and identify those who claimed ownership of the land. “We understand that most of the tenants will be losing their means of livelihood if BIBAK reclaims what is truly theirs. A possible conflict between them is certain,” said Gittabao.

He added however that should not be the case, because both BIBAK and the tenants are victims here and should work together and bring down the felons with the appropriate law suit.