For Sen. Risa Hontiveros, things could have turned out differently had the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) canceled the Proposed Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) or the so-called Socorro "cult" four years ago.
The local official of DENR, Regional Director Nonito Tamayo, cited "humanitarian reasons" for not recommending for cancellation of the PCBRMA of SBSI. He disclosed this during the upper chamber's finance subcommittee hearing for the agency's proposed budget. He mentioned the 2019 earthquake, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Typhoon Odette.
Hontiveros pointed out that the earthquake was allegedly instrumental for SBSI to entice more people to join them in the mountainous area of Surigao del Norte along with the supposed promise of salvation. The typhoon on the other hand paved the way for the alleged mishandling of relief supplies which is currently being investigated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"Sayang po, posible po kung umaksyon sa tamang paraan at degree ng mas timely ang regional office baka nga po hindi gumrabe nang gumbabe ang sitwasyon doon (It's a shame, it would have been possible that if the regional office acted on this in the right way and degree in a timely manner that the situation there would not have escalated so bad)," Hontiveros said.
"Sabi nyo nga for humanitarian reasons hindi inaksyunan ng office nyo pero nagkaroon talaga ng humanitarian problems doon lalo na sa mga bata na amin pong kasalukuyang iniimbestiga (Like you said for humanitarian reasons your office did not act on it, but humanitarian problems arose there especially with the kids that we're currently investigating)," she added.
DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said that the agency had personally served on Tuesday, Oct. 3, the suspension order, and it was also served by registered mail. This suspends SBSI's privileges and rights as a PACBRMA holder. Its PACBRMA was canceled last week.
The senator said that there may be other PACBRMAs out there that require the attention of DENR's regional office in a timely fashion which would not take four years.
On the other hand, DENR Usec. Joselin Marcus Fragada confirmed that in 2019, there was an investigation done actually by former DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu with then DILG Secretary Eduardo Año who visited this area due to the pressing issues regarding SBSI. These were namely restrictions in the entry of; the alleged establishment of checkpoints and military training within the PACBRMA; resignation of teachers, men in uniform, and elected barangay officials; and establishment of structures within the PACBRMA area.
Fragada explained that the PACBRMA is a tenurial instrument that we 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.
In SBSI's case, there are more than 3,000 residents who live in the mountainous area of Socorro including more than 1,000 children. Regarding their fate, DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said that there will be a meeting with DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.