THE UPV-MIAGAO PROBLEM REVISITED In September 1979, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Municipality of Miagao and UP declaring among others the responsibility of the latter to acquire the land from its owners and pay them just compensation. But after over three (3) decades, the avowed purchase and payment were not fully implemented whereby, causing a lot of problem between the aggrieved land owners and the State university. UPV is a gargantuan piece of land that the government finds it difficult to develop. It has only used a small percentage of its actual size leaving a wide reserved portion that one wonders how are the lands in far-flung area like Barangay Diday be utilized. Many landowners of course in the Brgys. Lumangan, Bacauan, Paroon, and Bugtong Lumangan are yet to be paid by UPV for the lands they have already surrendered. To grasp the issue, a privilege speech was delivered by Hon. Carmelo N. Nochete on October 16, 2014, tackling the sentiment of the people of Brgy. Diday relative to the acquisition of their land by UPV. ***** In our session last Oct. 9, 2914, this August Body received a copy of the resolution of Brgy. Diday appealing to the University of the Philippines to exempt the territorial jurisdiction of the said barangay from the coverage of the reservation of UP. Some of us took the said resolution in a customary manner and suggested that this body just take note of the said resolution. This representation insisted that this Body take action for the sake of justice and equity. I am glad that you my colleagues joined me and it was Hon. Rodolfo Legaspi II who moved for this Body to pass a resolution supporting the plea of Barangay Diday for relief from injustice. I say it is injustice because the lands of the people of Diday cannot anymore be subject of any transfer in its tax declarations.The resolution of Diday is a wake-up call to us in the local government unit of Miagao. Let us take a second look at the plight of our kasimanwas whose lands were covered by the so called UP Reservation. Specifically: 1. How much of these land were already paid by UP? 2. How many of these lands are actually being occupied by UP? 3. As to the lands covered by the UP Reservation that were not yet paid, why is it that its owners are being hampered to transfer their property to the heirs, buyers or other successors-in-interests despite the fact that they have yet to receive just compensation from government? 4. Why is it that UP is allowed to have an enormous land area for reservation when actually, it does need all these lands? Maybe, after this, more questions will arise. But let us not lose sight on the key issue at hand, taking or hampering the full enjoyment of ones right as an owner of property without receiving just compensation from government is, by any definition, an injustice. It is contrary to the Constitution, contrary to law and contrary to common human understanding of what is fair and just. It is high time for us to revisit the UP situation and see to it that the Municipal Government of Miagao will stand for the ordinary people affected by this problem and see to it that all affected land owners get justice.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 10:51:11 +0000