Filipino Tribe Resists Smart City Development on Former US Base Land

Philippine Government Pushes Ahead with Development Plans for New Clark City

A multibillion-dollar “smart city” project, known as New Clark City, is underway in the Philippines, with plans to build a new city on the grounds of a former US military base. The development aims to alleviate congestion in Manila and attract foreign investment. A nearby airport complex will also be expanded, featuring new train lines, runway expansions, and a $515 million stadium.

The project has raised concerns among local residents, particularly members of the Indigenous Aeta tribe, who claim ancestral land rights to the area. The Aetas have lived on the site for generations, with some estimates suggesting that they were present before Spanish colonizers arrived in 1898. However, their claims are not widely recognized.

The Philippine government has announced plans to expedite a long-pending application for a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT), which would grant the Aetas rights to their territory and resources. Community members have been working with researchers from the University of the Philippines to gather evidence and document their ancestral claims.

Construction on New Clark City began in 2018, with major roads and a sports complex completed in 2019. The city is expected to accommodate 1.2 million people and take at least 30 years to complete. A new stadium is planned for the airport complex, which is set to be built by 2028.

The development plans have sparked concerns among local residents, who fear that their land will be taken without recognition of their ancestral claims. The Philippine government describes the project as a “green, smart and disaster-resilient metropolis.”

Source: Al Jazeera