Pateros Also Claims Jurisdiction Over Fort Bonifacio

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It seems the municipality of Pateros has joined the claim over Fort Bonifacio.

Well, that's what others thought. Actually, Pateros has since been fighting for the land in Taguig way back in the lates 1980s but the Supreme Court junked its bid in 2009. They refiled the case last year before the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 271. It is probably getting special attention now after the Court of Appeals granted the Fort properties to Makati city.

Wikipedia describes Pateros as a small town in Metro Manila that is famous for its duck-raising industry and especially for producing balut, a Filipino delicacy that is boiled duck egg. Pateros is also known for the production of red salty eggs and "inutak", a local rice cake. Moreover, the town is known for manufacturing of "alfombra", a locally-made footwear with a carpet-like fabric on its top surface. Pateros is bordered by Pasig City to the north, Makati City to the west, and Taguig City to the south.


Pateros is the only municipality and the smallest, both in population and in land area, in Metro Manila, but it is the second most densely populated at around 29 thousand people per square kilometer after Manila.

Joey Medina, mayor of Pateros, is using the issue to his advantage to let everyone know that they should be the one getting the property and not Makati.


"In an interview with a radio station, Mayor Joey Medina said Pateros, Metro Manila's only municipality and also the poorest, should have jurisdiction over Fort Bonifacio and its surrounding areas. Medina said the area covering Fort Bonifacio used to be called "Barrio Mamangkat".


"May claim kami dyan. Ang aming claim ay dinidinig sa husgado. Buhay na buhay ang claim ng bayan ng Pateros. Ang kine-claim ng bayan ng Pateros ay kabuuan ng Global City. Iyan din ay kasama sa aming kaso na ngayon ay nasa husgado," adds Medina


For everyone's information, the municipality of Pateros has terribly lagged behind all Metro Manila's cities in terms of growth and other factors. Reclaiming the Fort Bonifacio property would surely give it a boost.

"Umaasa kami na ang aming bayan, na sa totoo lang ay napakaliit, ay mabigyan naman ng pansin para naman ho makasabay sa pag-unlad ng malalaking siyudad na aming mga kapitbahay," Medina said.


Meanwhile, Pateros is now part of the news and an online friend had this to share about news reports heard at TV Patrol concerning the statement of their reporter Atom Araullo:


"I am watching the news tonight, specifically TV Patrol. I am hurt that the reporter named atom araullo, told that Pateros my hometown is "napagiiwanan". I was totally hurt because we will never be left behind, if we have as big land area as the Cities that are surrounding us. it is just that Pateros is not greedy enough in claiming lands that are not really legally or geographically belong to us.

Listen to this, If we have massive land area we can be successful and renowned than bigger cities. bare that in mind, It is just a matter of land area. I am proud that even we are a small municipality in Manila, we are still a sign of progress and innovation."


But on the other hand, we should admit that the reporter is true at some points that we cannot ignore. Yes, the truth hurts. We're maybe too close to the picture to see the whole view. Let's get some distance and we will come to a realization. We really don't need acres of territory to prove our capability. Take the case of Valenzuela for instance, maliit din sila pero wealthy. It's in the governance, the political will to muster whatever meager resources we have and to use it to our own advantage. No ifs and if only's.


Here's a message from Gerald German, the Vice Mayor of Pateros:

"Ako po ay nakikiusap sa lahat ng aking mga kaibigan at dating mga kaeskwela na kasalukuyang naninirahan sa Fort Bonifacio Area patungkol sa usapin ng jurisdiction ng inyong lugar ay huwag naman po kayo sanang padalos-dalos sa mga komento at iwasan ninyo sana ang paghamak sa aming mahal na Bayan ng Pateros.

Hayaan po nating korte ang magdesisyon tungkol sa usaping ito sapagkat kung kayo ay mayroong patunay na kayo ay nasasakop ng Makati o Taguig ay mayroon din namang patunay ang aming bayan ng Pateros na ang lugar ng Fort Bonifacio/Fort William McKinley (Parcel 4 ng Hacienda de Maricaban) ay minsan ding tinawag na Barangay Mamangkat na naging ika-5 barangay ng Pateros at malinaw na bahagi nito. Marahil ay hindi ninyo ito nalalaman sapagkat ang inyong mga pinagmulang angkan ay hindi naman mga lehitimong nanirahan sa Fort Bonifacio Area. 

Ayaw ko pong magbitaw ng masasakit na salita at iniiwasan ko po ang hindi pagkakaunawaan tungkol sa bagay na ito kaya’t nakiiusap po ako na huwag po sana kayo masyadong makisawsaw at iwasan ninyo po sanang hamakin ang aming mahal na Bayan ng Pateros. Maraming Salamat po."