Asserting land rights, communal interests DAM IPs CALL FOR TALKS WITH GOV’T ILOILO – The Panay-Bukidnons, the indigenous people (IP) living in the mountainous villages of Calinog, Iloilo where the P11.2-billion mega dam is proposed to be constructed, have invited government agencies to dialogue with them. “We are inviting the government for a big gathering of at least 80 to 100 of our leaders from 13 barangays directly affected under the project coverage area,” said Caballero in a press statement emailed to Panay News. Leopoldo “Polding” Caballero, head of the 40-member council of elders of the Panay-Bukidnons, said he wants to make sure that government agencies such as project implementer National Irrigation Administration, National Council for Indigenous Peoples, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are around to hear their concerns regarding the mega dam, officially called Jalaur River Multipurpose Project-Phase II (JRM-PPII, photo) which has the Korean government as partner. The Panay-Bukidnons also invited the office of the governor and office of the municipal mayor for the dialogue slated on Aug. 26 at the Calinog Parish Social Action Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sangguniang Bayan member Rene Casinao, chairman of the Panay-Bukidnon Indigenous People’s Cultural Assembly and himself a Panay-Bukidnon, said the request for a dialogue is the initiative of the tribe itself. Caballero, also the chairperson of the Hugpong Pumuluyo Para sa Kalinungan kag Kauswagan (People United for Peace and Development), said in the local language Kinaray-a that they will make a position regarding their ongoing demands and claims in relation to their collective and communal interests, particularly the issue of just compensation for their ancestral land rights, job priority assurance, compensation and economic benefit package for their farm lands, dwellings and other properties that are going to be affected by the project implementation. The mega dam, to be completed in 2017, seeks to develop irrigation systems, generate hydroelectric power, and provide domestic and industrial water supply to surrounding towns and the city of Iloilo via the construction of three dams (Jalaur reservoir, after-bay and catch dams), a 6.6-megawatt hydropower plant and an 81-kilometer high-line canal in Calinog. “The talks with the government is also to assert our traditional and customary laws against the deceptive schemes being employed by those using the issue of the indigenous peoples like the militant groups and their allies who exploit our situation and concerns without the proper coordination and consent from the council of elders and the municipal government of Calinog, especially Mayor Alex Centena,” said Caballero. He was reacting to intrusions to their ancestral lands by militants and foreigners without their consent and these groups’ lack of coordination with the local government unit. “Akig gid ang mga imaw namon (Our friends and relatives are very angry),” said Caballero, referring to the intrusions that he earlier described as “a mockery and an insult.” On the other hand, Romulo Caballero, Leopoldo’s brother and Panay-Bukidnon IP coordinator for the Garangan, Masaroy and Agcalaga Area (also known as GMA area) that is directly affected by the dam, strongly commented against the intrusions. “We are going to break our ranks to defend our welfare and our rights owned by our own collective and conscious actions. We will not tolerate the schemes and deceptions from organizations pretending to oppose the project,” said Romulo in Kinaray-a. The Disbursement Acceleration Program earmarked P450 million in funds for preparatory civil works in Calinog that include the construction of access roads and cross drainage along a high-line canal (P39.9 million); repair and rehabilitation of Suague Dam (P32.6 million); repair and rehabilitation of Santa Barbara Dam, rechanneling of Aganan River and desilting and improvement of the main canal at Aganan River (P30.2 million), and repair and rehabilitation of Sibalom diversion works (P28.8 million). The National Irrigation Administration also reported that the amount was also used for improvement of irrigation facilities (P30.5 million), slope protection for Aganan drainage outfall (P15 million), drainage improvement of canal outfall and rehabilitation of the dam (P8.6 million), and rehabilitation of Mambog dam (P3 million)./PN
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 22:03:45 +0000
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