Chapter 40
MAGAGAWA NATIN!! (WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!! )
An Organized
Villagers, Moved to Successfully
Stopped the entry of a Mining Firm in
their Village
By Pastor Ruth Baldonasa, San Juan Baptist Church, San Juan Barotac
Viejo.
That
was Saturday afternoon, March 30, 2002, when around 100 residents of Brgy. De
La Paz, Banate, Iloilo, some of them with tears in their eyes, while singing a
struggle song, “Magagawa Natin!” (We Can Do It!) signed the “Resolution Opposing the Entry of a Mining Firm in Barangay De La Paz.” They
were led by Barangay Captain Rolly Villanueva, some members of the Barangay
Council and four Convention Baptist Pastors.
The
resolution was made in response to the letter the barangay received from the
office of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR), on March 28,
2002. The letter informed the Barangay
officials and the residents that the
mining firm, that have made exploration around the municipalities, several years until recently, would come with their equipment, 15 days
after delivery of the letter. The mining firm has made explorations on some 5
municipalities near and around Banate.
When
the People’s Resolution was delivered to
the DENR three days later, it had the
signatures of 400 family heads. It was the people’s decisive and collective action to protect their health, land, the source of their livelihood and the environment from the hazardous mining
firm that will enter the barangays.
That
day, March 30, the residents together with Alternative Resource Development
Center, Inc. and “Hour of Discovery” Radio Ministry, organized themselves and mobilized support to stop the minng
firms’s entry in the barangays. They formed committees to divide
responsibilities and expand their reached. The Committee was to ask the support
of the Catholic, Aglipayan, Baptist, Evangelical churches. Another committee
was to seek and request support of different NGOs –including the militant and
cause-oriented grous -- Bayan-Panay, Gabriela, Code-NGO, the CPBC- Development
Ministries and some cooperative organizations in Banate and Barotac Viejo.
Another
Committee was tasked to reached the DENR
and other government agencie, asking for support against the entry of
the mining firm.
Another
Committee was to assigned to work with “Hour of Discovery” Radio Ministry, sent
Press Releases to different radio stations in Iloilo City to reach out the
whole Western Visayas of the people’s strong opposition to the mining firm.
Another
Committee was tasked to reach out to other barangays near Dela Paz and make
their opposition heard.
Why
Selected as Most Signifant Story
With
a strong and wide opposition that reached officials and DENR
and exposed in several radio station and broadcast on Hour of Discovery, the mining firm
blinked. They hesitated. They did not enter Brgy. Dela Paz with their
equipment. They kept silent, perhaps waiting
for a more condusive day. But the
people were prepared. They knew what to do.
They were determined and ready.
The
people realized their power. They
learned that when they planned, decided and worked together they have strength. They
have learned to link with other groups
that have similar concerns.
I
am glad, I am part of the people’s
struggle in De la Paz I am one of the four resource persons of ARDC/HOD sponsored seminars in Northern Iloilo. The project was supported by Diakonia. We
held 3 seminars in De la Paz on the
months of February and March 2002. The first training was held middle of
February with 17 participants.
The
2nd seminar was held March
17, 2002 with 40 participants, mostly elected and appointed barangay/ village officials. And the 3rd
seminar, the decisive day was March 30, 2002 attended by about 100 people –
many of them have learned their political rights and their collective strength
through the previous semnars.
We
were four in the team that work in Banate and Barotac Viejo –Rev.
Matias Arib, Pastor Dante Penuela, Pastor Rudy Bernal and myself, Pastor Ruth Baldonasa.Barangay that morning
in March 30, 2002. Captain Rolly Villanueva with several Barangay Councils met
us with deep concerns. They were deeply worried.
They
showed us the letter from DENR. We discussed the problem. We reflected on the
capacity and readiness of the people to make
decision. We decided to bring the case of the people in consultation
that morning.
More
than 100 residents attended the consultations. Our process? We have an Opening
Prayer, group dynamics, sharing. Pastor
Rudy Bernal has a Bible Reflection on
mining based on the Book of Job – how mining destroyed the
“Fertile Crescent” in Bible times. He shared experiences learned from
Sipalay mines in Negros Occidental and
the destructions of thousand hectares of vegetations.
The
Barangay Capitan Rolly Villanueva presided the meeting. A discussion was made, after which the Barangay Captain
called on the people to stand together
and opposed the entry of the mining firm That afternoon we made a
decision. A united stand against
the mining firm entry in our area with a
Rssolution addressed to DENR and the mining firm.
A
newly drafted Resolution was presented.
We prayed. Some have tears in
their eyes. Our Closing Service was
climazed with the signing of the “Resolution Opposing theEntry of Mining in
Barangay De la Paz”. Many older residents signed with their trembling
hnds. The Resolution carried a strong opposition message. It was the
people’s first line of defense. Will they succeed?
They mining firm did not come with their equipment until this
year, December 2006. The people were prepared. They knew they have
strength when they unite.They have
learned to linked with other people and organizations who protect the
environment, health and source of livelihood. We heard the mining firm has
applications to mine in other areas.
I
am thankful to ARDC and HOD for the program that helped
developed my skills and that of my colleagues enabling us to help
movilize people to protect their rights, lands, health and environment.
Contribution
of the Project
Many
groups are working in the community. The churches, schools, farmers
associations, women’s group, Barangay Council, Barangay Tanod, Barangay Health
Workers are in placed. They are the forces in the barangays/villages. The
contribution of ARDC /HOD was in leading
the groups what actions and decisions
they will have to make. And the moral
and spiritual support they have with them in the struggle.
They
made it possible for me to learn, gain
experiences and participate in the works
that advocates change.
Added Value
by Diakonia
Diakonia’s
program of exchange visits and sharing
among partners has enabled the project
holders and staff to learn additional skills that were helpful for the program implementation.
Lesson
Learned and Recommendation
Organizing people for different
tasks is important in any mass action. Every individual and organizations in
the barangays/villages has skills and capacity. Everyone must be given specific task. The task given must
bring expected results. Always close project activities with a diffinite task to
accomplish. Then organize groups
for the different tasks.
Project
Title: “Hour of Discovery” Radio
Program and Political & Electoral
Education for Church
and Community Leaders (1996-2003)
Implementing
Partner: Alternative Resource Development Center, Inc.
Place
Where Story Happened: Brgy. De la Paz, Banate, Iloilo
The
story happened: March 2002
Story
Written: January 27, 2007
Storyteller
: Pastor Ruth Baldonasa
Story
writer: Hesther A. Bernal
Domain
2: Change in nature of people’s participation in
development activities
PARTNERSHIP
IN DIVERSITY
Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Final
Evaluaton of Diakonia Philippine Program
Published
in 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment