Metro Manila catholic schools are set to have a more active campaign on ecological issues as it launches the school roadshow on ecology, indigenous peoples and mining on September 1 at the Manila Cathedral during the Mass celebrated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

The Alyansa Tigil sa Mina (ATM) supports this launching of the school roadshow to focus on ecology, indigenous peoples and mining and sees this as a good sign of the church and the academe getting more involved in the campaign in ecological conservation, particularly mining.

“We are anticipating a more committed and active involvement of the schools in this campaign, especially as we try to make them more aware of the plight of the indigenous peoples in the Philippines and how they are the ones truly affected by the entry of large-scale mining companies,” Jaybee Garganera of the ATM Secretariat said.

The Philippines Misereor Partnership meanwhile stresses the importance of focusing on the troubles suffered by the IPs because of the entry of large-scale mining projects all over the country. “The very strict competition among the various stakeholders has all but eased out from the forests, the indigenous people who are the traditional stewards of this resource,” Eero Brilantes, PMP Mining Advocacy Project Coordinator pointed out.

The indigenous peoples themselves also see development aggression as one of the biggest threats they face today.

“We call on our national government to hear the grievances of the IPS and not let the transnational companies encroach our ancestral domains. We appeal to the national government to heed our plea over the interest of these foreign mining companies,” Gilbert Hoggang, Chairman of the Koalisyon ng mga Katutubong Samahan sa Pilipinas (KASAPI) grieved out.

“With this more aggressive drive to conserve the culture and the environment, we look forward to the protection and promotion of IP rights as clearly stated in the Indigenous People Rights Acts (IPRA) of 1997,” Hoggang added.

According to AnthroWatch, a non-government organization of researchers whose focus is anthropology, indigenous peoples and other marginalized populations, only 44 Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) awarded to indigenous communities since 1997. Today, there are more than 200 pending CADT applications in the country and the IPs still clamor for these titles to be awarded to them.

Meanwhile, the bishops continue to stand by its anti-mining stance and emphasize that the implementation of the Mining Act will certainly destroy environment and people will lead to national unrest.

Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag, Surigao del Sur points out the threat of mining to the IPs and the ecology. “President Arroyo says she would pour resources on harnessing Mindanao’s potential for agri-business, but she should be reminded that these are the same fragile ecologies she is opening to large scale mining,” Odchimar said.

On the other hand, Bishop Jose Manguiran of Dipolog stresses how the mining-affected communities are subject to human rights violations and economic deprivations. “We condemn the way indigenous peoples are being treated as evidenced by the latest forcible demolitions in the Subanen community of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. These mining companies violate the IPs’ right to life and to own their lands.” Manguiran disclosed.

Bishop Ramon Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong also holds the same view and wants to address the issue to the national government. “I urge President Arroyo to reconsider her mining revitalization program as it is in direct contrast to her SONA promises. It has been said time and again how large-scale mining threatens sustainable livelihoods and introduces social displacements and conflicts,” Villena stressed out.

"We re-affirm our stand on the Mining Act of 1995. The promised economic benefits of mining by these mining companies are far outweighed by the dislocation of communities especially among our indigenous brothers and sisters. We fully support the school raodshow to highlight the predicaments our IP brothers and sisters face,” Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez of Caloocan said.

These NGOs, IP groups and these dioceses continue to fight the entry of large-scale mining on its belief that these operations pose threats to sustainable agriculture, community-based development and coastal and fisheries resources, not to mention cultural conflicts and environmental degradation.

For inquiries, please contact:

Jaybee Garganera
ATM Secretariat
Mobile: 0915-3153719

Eero Brilantes
PMP Mining Project Coordinator
Mobile: 0916-3262446

Abi Aguilar
ATM Secretariat
Mobile: 0916-6409444

Tito Fiel
DIOPIM Commission on Mining Issues (DCMI)
Landline: (062) 212-3678

Sr. Lydia Lascano
Diocese of Tandag
Mobile: 0919-3416023

Sr. Eden Orlino
Diocese of Bayombong
Mobile: 0917-5680231