Affected Households at Pax Silica Site like New Relocated House, Lot – BCDA

Photo via Inquirer net

Affected residents settled at the 1,619-hectare (ha) site at New Clark City, Tarlac, like the house and lot provided by Bases Conversion and Development Authority (B.C.D.A) after giving way for the construction of Pax Silica, B.C.D.A. President Joshua Bingcang said.

Mr. Bingcang said that they plan to initiate the relocation of the residents and farmers by 2027, affecting at least 50 households according to the results of an updated census conducted in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

He said the affected residents occupy a relatively small portion of the ongoing development site, including areas used for housing and farming.

Already, the B.C.D.A. has held what Bingcang described as “fruitful negotiations” with the affected communities on Sept. 29, during which they reached a general understanding on their relocation to another area within New Clark City.

Mr. Bingcang shared that the residents had requested a 100-ha relocation area to accommodate both housing and farming.

“We already presented the design to them, and they liked it. It will be a house and lot,” he said at a recent media briefing.

The houses and lots will be provided at no cost to the affected residents, although ownership of the farmland would remain with the B.C.D.A., which manages New Clark City.

Earlier, the B.C.D.A. said the Pax Silica Hub would occupy only 4.6 percent of the 35,300-ha Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone spanning Pampanga and Tarlac. Of that total, 15,141 ha have been designated as ancestral domains for indigenous peoples.

Outside the ecozone, another 10,700 hectares have been distributed to farmer-beneficiaries under the Agrarian Reform Program, the agency added.

Currently, the B.C.D.A. is awaiting President Marcos’ approval of the proposed Pax Silica development framework.

Mr. Bingcang declined to identify the prospective master developer but said it would be responsible for the infrastructure development, financing, construction, operations and maintenance, as well as marketing to prospective investors.