The Dumagat-Remontados, who began their alay-lakad on February 15, are set to arrive in Malacañang on Thursday, culminating a nine-day action to protest the ongoing construction of the Kaliwa Dam. As of Monday, the group arrived in Teresa, Rizal where they were met with support and aid in food and other supplies.
The alay-lakad began in General Nakar, Quezon because of the unheeded calls of the affected communities to stop the construction of the Kaliwa Dam which is poised to threaten the surrounding communities and the biodiversity of Sierra Madre.
Originally, the project was initiated to address the water crisis in Metro Manila. The Kaliwa Dam was proposed to create a larger reserve of water to be channeled for household, industrial, and agricultural use.
“Hanggang ang pampublikong serbisyo para sa tubig ay ginagawang negosyo, tuloy-tuloy ang construction ng mga dams,” said Reggie Vallejo from Water for the People Network (WPN) during a forum on the Stop Kaliwa Dam campaign yesterday at UP Diliman.
About 300 individuals have joined the walk which included indigenous groups, farmers, and fisherfolk, including Former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat. The alay-lakad is set to pass 16 stops, spanning the provinces of Quezon, Laguna, and Rizal.
“Maaari pong maapektuhan ang aming kinabukasan at ang mga salin-salinlahi ng mga katutubo. Hindi po ito laban ng mga katutubo lamang kundi laban ng mga taong maapektuhan ng pagtatayo ng Kaliwa dam,” Alvin, a native to the locale, stated in a video posted by Stop Kaliwa Dam network.
Later today, the group will move from Teresa, Rizal to Antipolo, then make their way towards the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Rizal province until they reach Ateneo De Manila University. Their route is set to pass by the office of Metropolitan Water and Sewerage System (MWSS) and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) before concluding their walk at Malacañang on Thursday.
The groups’ outcry came after the signing of the memorandum of agreement between MWSS and handpicked members of the indigenous communities in February 2022. Despite the communities’ rejection of the proposed project, the MWSS and NCIP proceeded with the signing, railroading the process.
“Marami kasingunalingan ang sinabi ng MWSS katuwang ang NCIP na sa halip na kami ay protektahan sila pa ang naging kasangkapan upang ipagpatuloy ang proyekto ng Kaliwa Dam,” said Conchita Calzado, president of Kababaihang Dumagat ng Sierra Madre (K-GAT).
Kaliwa Dam is an estimated P12-billion project funded by China with a 2-percent annual interest rate, higher than any loan contract held by the Philippines with other countries. The contract also allows Chinese corporations to hold greater authority in supervising and executing the project.
Advocates also noted that the project was initially proposed by Marcos Sr. and has now been adopted by his son, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. However, advocates have been attempting to stop the project since 2018, prompted by Duterte’s Build, Build, Build project.
The indigenous groups demand the termination of the Kaliwa Dam project and call on the government to protect Filipino lands and turn to sustainable and environmentally safe alternatives. The network proposed alternatives such as watershed restoration to address the water shortage in Manila.
“Ang panahon po natin ay pabago bago na at nananawagan po kami na tulong tulong po tayong ipagtanggol ang kagubatan dahil lahat po tayo ay apektado,” said Conching. ●
Sign the petition here: change.org/stopkaliwadam
