Batangas residents urge Roxas loans freeze

Batangas residents urge Roxas loans freeze | Daily Tribune

Residents of Nasugbu, Batangas pressed for state lenders and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to withhold financial support development plans of property firm Roxas and Company Inc. (RCI).

RCI has a plan to evict an estimated 50,000 residents from Haciendas Palico, Banilad, and Kaylaway covering up to 2941 hectares in 9 barangays.

The huge expanse is believed being developed for a massive renewable energy project.

The Batangas residents trooped to the financial institutions last Thursday to bring their plight to the officials.

It was the Daily Tribune that broke the story on the disgruntled Batanguenos, many of whom have been in their residences for decades.

The residents, about 50,000 of them, claim they are land reform beneficiaries but are in danger of losing their lands following the issuance of a consolidated order by Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III to cancel the issued titles or the Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and to lift the decreed nullity of coverage in a case involving the Roxas & Company against Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid sa Hacienda Roxas Inc. (KAMAHARI) and Damayan ng Manggagawang Bukod sa Asyenda Roxas-National Federation of Sugar Workers (DAMBA-NFSW).

The Daily Tribune sent a team to Batangas to dig deep into the dispute.

Estrella maintained that the residents were illegally occupying the property.

Huge collectibles

Local government officials of Nasugbu, Batangas, led by Vice Mayor Mildred Sanchez, members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB), and barangay captains of the nine affected barangays.

Among the affected areas include Barangay Aga, a whole barangay that would be demolished to make way for RCI’s planned real estate development.

The protesters picketed the offices of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the RCI office before proceeding to the head offices of the Department of Agrarian Reform, Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and the BSP to deliver copies of SB Resolution 118.

SB Resolution 118 urged the lenders not to grant financial support or any extension of loans to RCI until it settles its obligations with affected agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) over the disputed lands.

RCI has past due or delinquent loans which can be used to take control of RCI by bringing it into rehabilitation or foreclosing on its land.

RCI had a total of P4 billion of loans as of 31 March 2024 according to RCI’s published financial statements.

SB Resolution 118 also declared persona non grata the board of directors and officers of RCI, along with the Roxas, Elizalde, Madrigal and Montinola families who are identified with RCI.

The resolution also called for the suspension of any permits for businesses or projects in Nasugbu, Batangas of RCI and its supporters.

In a response to a letter from the Nasugbu LGU, BPI voiced its “appreciation” for the LGU’s efforts, noting that “BPI will seriously consider the contents of the SB Resolution 118, especially the concern of your Sangguniang Bayan for the farmers of your good town in the conduct of its business in the area.”

LandBank, DBP and BSP meanwhile confirmed they will be meeting with the Nasugbu LGU to discuss the contents of SB Resolution 118.

Nasugbu Vice Mayor Sanchez expressed her appreciation for the response of the banking community.

“We are encouraged by the willingness of government agencies and financial institutions to support Nasugbu. We are calling for more equitable compensation for our residents and a commitment that there will be no forced eviction in the Roxas Haciendas,” she said.

“The collection of real property taxes from RCI can also be used by our municipality for healthcare, education, and other social services, to improve the standard of living in our town.”