BOTOLAN, Zambales — Leaders from indigenous people’s communities here in Botolan are calling for the return of their Ayta ancestral lands located in the upland barangays of Belbel, Burgos, Moraza, and Villar.

The Local Government Unit of Botolan said in a social media post that barangay chairmen of the said four barangays participated in a hearing on March 18 to tackle their complaint regarding Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) No. R03-BOT-0708-73.

The said CADT covers the barangays of Belbel, Burgos, Moraza, and Villar, which comprise the Ayta ancestral domain in this town.

The LGU said the Ayta leaders had filed some complaint relative to the CADT against Chito Bulatao Balintay, the erstwhile indigenous people’s mandatory representative (IPMR) to the Zambales provincial board.

The hearing was conducted by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Regional Hearing Office in Zambales headed by Atty. Joy P. Bayona.

A motion to cancel the declaration of Balintay as “persona non grata” by the Botolan town council was also discussed in the hearing. The council reportedly made the declaration in response to issues alleged by some Aytya leaders against Balintay.

Meanwhile, a public consultation on the proposed Coastal Delineation Survey in Botolan was held at the Villanueva Conference Hall on March 12 in preparation for the project to be undertaken in this town by the Zambales provincial government in cooperation with the Botolan LGU.

The survey is designed to ascertain and document boundaries of lots along the Botolan coast with the end in view of resolving any conflicts on land ownership.

Officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Provincial Engineering Office, and Botolan LGU spearheaded the meeting in coordination with resort owners and concerned residents from various coastal villages in Botolan. 