Senator Cynthia Villar told the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday, Oct. 18 to make a firm decision on the relocation of the residents of Sitio Kapihan where the Socorro Bayanihan Service Inc. (SBSI), or the Socorro "cult" was based. 

This was after the Undersecretary for Field Operations - Mindanao Joselin Marcus Fragada III revealed that there was only one tenured migrant left in SBSI during the second hearing of the upper chamber's subfinance committee on DENR's proposed budget.

This means that those residing in Sitio Kapihan are there illegally. 

It was found out during the first DENR budget hearing that SBSI had an existing Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) with DENR. DENR then stated that it had suspended SBSI's PACBRMA.
 
This suspends SBSI's privileges and rights as a PACBRMA holder. Its PACBRMA was canceled earlier. Fragada explained that a PACBRMA was a tenurial instrument that they give to tenured migrants in protected areas, mostly to give them a chance at livelihood.

"There was no condition there that you can live in the area unless you're a tenured migrant and it is proven that we have a list of registered tenured migrants in the specific area where the PACBRMA is," he said.

DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga earlier said that she would meet with DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian to discuss the fate of the 3,000 residents living in the mountainous area of Socorro, including more than 1,000 children.

In the second hearing, Fragada disclosed that Sitio Kapihan has a population of 3,350, of which 1,017 were children, from 1,200 households. In terms of their relocation, he said that they leave it to the inter-agency composed of DENR, DILG, DOJ, and DSWD to decide on the proper course of action.

Villar says it is easy to relocate 1,200 families by just looking for a National Housing Authority (NHA) project. Fragada replied that this was an option.

"Huwag ganiyan ang approach niyo parang takot na takot kayo, wala kayong decisiveness (That shouldn't be your approach it's like you're scared, you lack decisiveness)," she told DENR.

Villar also told the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) that these residents have no choice but to relocate.

"Wala silang choice. Kung saan mayroong NHA project doon sila lilipat (They have no choice. Wherever it is that there's an NHA project, they should move there)," the senator said.

"You don't give them a choice. They have to because they're not supposed to live in a legislated protected area," she added.

According to Villar, if DENR behaves in such a way and does not decide on the matter, the problem of resettlement will not be solved. She then asked DENR to come up with a plan regarding this.