ILOILO City – The future of the Ati community on Boracay Island is taking a new turn as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) initiates plans to relocate 44 members of the Boracay Ati Tribal Organization (BATO) to a government-owned lot in Jamindan, Capiz.
According to DAR Region 6 director Leomides Villareal, the move comes after the invalidation of the certificate of land ownership awards (CLOAs) that were distributed to the Boracay Ati community by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III had said the CLOAs, which covered 1,300 square meters, were awarded beyond the termination of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, which ended on June 30, 2014.
Estrella emphasized, “Nothing was revoked. First, the CLOA that was awarded has no legal leg to stand on, no legal basis.”
The lands in question also turned out to be privately owned, with several claims contesting the CLOAs.
On April 8, 2024, Estrella announced that DAR would provide government lands and necessary assistance to the displaced members of the Ati community. Current discussions involve the DAR-Central Office and the Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., to finalize a memorandum of agreement for the transfer. The target relocation area is under the DND.
Villareal assured that there is no need for the Ati members to worry as DAR, along with other concerned government agencies, will ensure that all necessities are provided for their relocation.
“In Jamindan, there are 200 hectares of government land with few occupants where we can accommodate the 44 or more Ati members. We plan to provide them with roughly three hectares each, along with support services necessary for their sustenance,” Villareal told Panay News.
Proposed support services include farm machinery and equipment to ensure the community can establish a livelihood in their new location.
Villareal also noted that Jamindan is ideal as it allows the Ati community to stay together and continue their cultural practices and daily activities.
While the majority have shown interest in relocating, a small number remain resistant due to the distance from Boracay Island, where they currently reside and earn their living.
However, Villareal pointed out that there are no government-owned lands available in Malay or Aklan suitable for resettling the Ati community.
The DAR aims to begin the relocation of the Ati community from Boracay Island to Jamindan, Capiz within this year./PN
