Marag ARC-The paradise in a valley

Revisiting Marag Valley is a journey of history. The community also known as Blue Heaven has claimed national popularity during the 80’s because of insurgency. The main cause of conflicts in the area was land disputes. Only understanding its memoirs can deliberate haste and effective development in the area.

The vast virgin forest and the bountiful Ziwanan River attracted lowlanders to settle in the area in 1973. Influential individuals from Poblacion, Luna and Sanchez Mira, Cagayan urged non-native settler or the “pakamang” (settlers by affinity) to take-over developed farms of the Isnegs or natives. Some of these Isnegs were even driven off from their farms.

Because of this, a village elder or “Pangat” lead his men to organize the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) to instigate awareness of the Isneg on their rights over their lands and bring their case in court. After a favorable decision from the Court of First Instance in Sanchez Mira, the natives re-operated their original farms.

Unfortunately, Luis Pablo, the pangat, was dragged from his home by armed men and summarily executed. A grandson who witnessed the event escaped and identified land grabbers from the lowlands allegedly behind the murder.

They avenged his death igniting tribal war between the natives and the lowlanders. Sensing that the land speculators utilized some military personnel, the feeling of anger and helplessness prompted many natives especially the youth to join the New People’s Army (NPA). The CCP/NPA shared their sympathy and offered compassion.

The infiltration of a logging concessionaire, Taggat Industries (TI) of Barangay Taggat, Claveria, Cagayan, added more problem to the conflict. One of these is the revolutionary tax allegedly demanded by the increasing underground movement of which the TI refused to grant and cooperate, instead, they requested military protection and private armies were hired. The other one is the encroachment to communal forests and the Isneg community as coverage of Taggat Industries.

More uprising erupted. Noted on its book of records were seven high school students who were abducted on their way home, some of who were even executed. As accounted by a father, his eight year old boy was accidentally sniped while running home during a military operation. Several individuals were allegedly missing and presumed dead. Attempt to recover the area by the 186^th PC Company did not succeed. And in 1985, Marag Valley was declared, “No Man’s Land”.

OPLAN SALIDUMAY was launched on 1990 but failed to dislodge the insurgents.

After four years, OPLAN TARABAY launched to reassert government control under Colonel Roberto Manlongat of the 503^rd Infantry Brigade. With Oplan Tarabay, government forces re-established control in Marag Valley. The leftists were effectively immobilized.

The massive campaign of the administration to eradicate the NPA has paved the way to rural development in the area. Natives returned home and established their farms again. The Engineering group of the military opened a fair weather road from Poblacion to Marag Proper.

They also built schools and a church. The military established and maintained their camp. The military camp’s generator serves as electric source of some household during the night time.

In response to the program, the Department of Agrarian Reform established Marag Valley as an agrarian reform community. The ARC comprises of three barangays, namely: Cagandungan, Calabigan and Marag Proper. The ARC is accessible through the Ziwanan River through boat and the fair weather road through high-powered motorcycles and big trucks from Poblacion to the area.

Marag ARC has a scope of 450.1719 hectares, 226.8852 hectares have been distributed to 131 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries. A total of 870 hectares of A & D lands were turned over by DENR to DAR for CARP coverage. The fast documentation and registration of some lands were assisted financially by Congressman Elias C. Bulut by providing funds for filing fees, notarial and payment of estate tax.

Post Harvest Facilities were provided for the farmers and carabaos were also distributed to the farmers to help them increase their farm produce and augment income generation.

At present, DAR and the LGU regravelled the fair weather road of the passage to Marag with a reinforced path at the critical areas. This eased the burden of traversing the terrain of the ARC.

The Marag Development Multi-purpose Coopeartive, serves as the partner organization in the ARC with 131 members wherein 64 of them are ARBs. Credit Service is the main activity of the organization aside from providing necessary skills training of it members.

Marag Valley has gone a long way in the development of its people. They restored their degrading forest by reforestation administered and monitored by their barangay council. They have planted different kinds of trees for their 100 hectares reforestation project. Maintaining their “lapat” system shared in the conservation of their watershed.

Historically Marag Valley will stand uniquely compared with the other ARCs in Apayao but it is still hoping for more development coming from line agencies or foreign agencies. Being an ARC opened the introduction of rural development projects in the area.

At present, the strong alliance between the Provincial Government of Apayao and the DAR has created the Apayao Agrarian Reform Task Force wherein Marag ARC is one of the recipients of the said program. Gov. Elias K. Bulut, Chairs the group with PARO Timoteo N. Baptista as Co-Chair and the different CARP Implementing Team and the Mayors of the municipalities of Luna, Pudtol, Sta. Marcela and Flora as members.

The task force main agenda is the possible coverage under CARP of privately owned landholdings that were initially titled as either Free Patent or Homestead. Its objective is the just and proper distribution of identified areas in Pudtol, Sta. Marcela, Luna and Flora before June 2010.

Initial activity of the task force is a project site inspection of the 275 lm Marag-Cagandungan Farm to Market road last February 13, 2009. The project inspection was part of the initial activities undertaken by the group. Marag ARC is very hopeful of more physical infrastructure projects coming in the area because of this beautiful teamwork.

Part of the Marag-Cagandungan FMR under Agrarian Reformed Fund. High-powered motorcycle is the main transportation in the community.

During the project site inspection of the 275 lm Marag-Cagandungan Farm to Market road last February 13, 2009. The project inspection was part of the activities undertaken by the Apayao Agrarian Reform Task Force initiated by the Provincial Government of Apayao and the Department of Agrarian Reform (L-R): Engr. Danilo G. Bragas, the DAR-Apayao Project Monitoring & Evaluation Point Person, RD Renato Navata of DAR-CAR, Gov. Elias K. Bulut, Sr.; Mayor Jovencio T. Bullaoit of Luna, USEC. Gerundio C. Madueno of PPEAO DAR Central Office, Atty. Cyril M. Deza, the DAR-Apayao Caretaker and (partly hidden) Benjamin N. Lactam, Secretary to the Municipal Mayor of Luna.

The signboard at Marag Valley, stand tall informing passersby that the area is an agrarian reform community.