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22 years later, 244 Rota lands up for release
After a 22-year wait, Rota residents will start getting permits or land conveyance deeds for 244 agricultural homestead lots as early as May. Since 1992, federal concerns over endangered species in the area have held off the distribution of agricultural lots to eligible residents.
Department of Public Lands officials and a lawmaker separately confirmed yesterday that each eligible recipient will soon get 10,000 square meters or 1 hectare of land for the development and maintenance of farms crops, among other things.
Thomas Songsong, land claims investigator for DPL-Rota, DPL Planning Division director Patricia Rasa, and Rep. Teresita Santos (R-Rota) said CNMI agencies and the Pacific Islands office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally got to sign a memorandum of agreement for the mitigation and protection of endangered species in the affected area.
Santos said regulations have also been recently adopted, paving the way for the release of the permits and assignment of lots as early as May.
“After several attempts in the past, people will soon get their agricultural homestead permits or land conveyance deed…They can soon start subsistence farming and at the same time help preserve natural resources and species in the area,” Songsong said.
The Rota agricultural homestead lots are located in As Matmos and all the way to the Bird Sanctuary and down to Pali’e.
Some 50 of these agricultural lots were already previously assigned but because of the endangered species concerns in the area beginning in 1992, the project hit snags.
“Rota residents have waited long enough, and on behalf of the people of Rota, I thank all the federal and local agencies involved to finally allow for lots distribution and permitting, including Gov. Eloy S. Inos. The release of the permits, the lottery drawing, and the assignment of lots will happen soon. Residents can then start planting sweet potatoes, coconut trees, bananas, mangoes, lemons and other fruit crops. They can also start raising pigs, poultry and cattle,” Santos said.
Once residents start getting into subsistence farming, Santos said they wouldn’t need to rely so much on goods that are brought to Rota. Because of additional shipping costs, the prices of goods on Rota are more expensive than those on Saipan.
Santos also thanked DPL Secretary Pete A. Tenorio and staff, DPL-Rota led by resident director Alejo Mendiola and Thomas Songsong, Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Arnold Palacios and staff, the Division of Environmental Quality, Historic Preservation Office, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
