Catholic Bishop Broderick Pabillo has urged the national government to investigate foreigners who do not just frequently visit Taytay, Palawan, but are also actively buying lands in the area. 

“Wala naman kaming nakikitang sightings, pero may mga naririnig ako na may mga namimii ng lupa. Baka mga Chinese yun, o baka mga agent sa mga Chinese, yan ang mga namimili ng lupa. Lalong-lalo na yung facing the West Philippine Sea... coastal area kami, at malaking coastal area kami facing the West Philippine Sea,” Pabillo said in a phone interview. 

(There are no sightings [of ships] but I’ve been hearing people buying lands. They might be Chinese or Chinese agents especially since we’re facing the West Philippine Sea, we are a coastal area facing the West Philippine Sea.) 

“Dapat tingnan, imbestigahan yung mga namimili ng mga lupa no? Kasi, siyempre gagamit ng mga dummy yan, at may pera kaagad na binibigay.  Kaya dapat, ewan ko lang kung paano pagi-imbestiga noon. Kung talaga bang legit ang pagbili nila ng lupa,” he added.    

(These buyers of lands should be investigated. They will of course use a dummy, and they quickly pay in cash.) 

Since 2021, Pabillo has been serving as the Vicar Apostolic in Taytay, Palawan. 

Taytay, Palawan according to the local government's website, is a first class municipality with 31 barangays, with a total land area of 134,238 hectares, which. Is 9.5% of Palawan’s total area. 

It has a total population of 88,416 as of December 2021. 

“Taytay is home to the Malampaya Sound, which has long been touted as the country’s “fish bowl”. It has been said that fish production in this part of Palawan corresponds to a large percentage of the overall market for marine products in the country today,” the municipality’s website stated. 

“With a total water area of 24,490 hectares and a corresponding catchment area of 42,283 hectares for an overall total o f 77,773 hectares, the sound is home to a wide array of fish spicies and other marine products which eventually reach the big markets like Metro Manila and other parts of the country and even as far as the Asian countries of Hong Kong,  Taiwan and Japan,” it added. 

They have yet to spot a Chinese ship roaming around their area, Pabillo said but what alarms them most are the presence of people who are expressing their interest to buy a piece of their land. 

“Nagsusumbong na yung mga tao na marami nang umiikot-ikot, na naghahanap ng mabibiling lupa... siyempre hindi naman talaga magpo-front yang mga Chinese. Maghahanap ng Piilipino yan. Pero kung sino ba talaga ang behind them, yung mga Pilipino na naghahanap ng lupa, dapat imbestigahan,” Pabillo said.

(People have been reporting that there are individual going around, asking for lands for sale. Of course, the Chinese will not be in front, they will try to find a Filipino. But who are really behind them? That should be investigated.) 

While buying land in Taytay has been happening in the past, what alarms them today is the timing of the keen interest of unknown individuals to buy a piece of the island, Pabillo pointed out.

“This time, mas nakakatakot. Kasi noon nagbi-bid ng lupa ang mga Pilipino kasi maganda yung dagat, tourism, pero ngayon baka may lumalabas na other agenda,” Pabillo said. 

(This time is more fearsome. Before, lands are bought because of the sea, tourism. But now the agenda is already different.) 

Taytay, Palawan is in the north side of Palawan where El Nido, San Vicente and Coron are situated.