ATM Statement of Support for ‘Alay Lakad Laban sa Kaliwa Dam’
ATM Statement of Support | February 21, 2023
Alyansa Tigil Mina stands in solidarity with the various groups and individuals marching under the banner “Alay Lakad Laban sa Kaliwa Dam”.
We fully support the call for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to order a halt to the Kaliwa Dam project, particularly the tunnelling in Teresa Rizal, which has already started and is continuing even when the Free Prior and Informed (FPIC) process is still ongoing.
We join the call for Malacañang to open its doors to the marchers and talk to their representatives when the Alay Lakad ends in front of the Palace on February 23. It is of utmost importance that the stories and proposals on the issue be heard and given due consideration.
Currently, there is a request for the cancellation of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). Until now, the DENR has not answered the questions by experts on Environment Impact Assessment regarding the DENR’s anomalous Environmental Impact Statement. There is also a pending Motion of Reconsideration to rescind the Certification Precondition that the NCIP En Banc granted to the project.
We condemn the underhanded tactics of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), which violated its own guidelines on the FPIC. According to the participants of the Alay Lakad, five out of six community clusters in General Nakar, Quezon expressed dissent in three consultations. But the NCIP conducted a fourth consultation of selected leaders to “overturn our stance and drown the voice of our communities”. The groups said that in the fourth assembly, only 116 of the 508 who attended signed the resolution of consent. These 116 people are not even part of the directly-affected communities in General Nakar. That a Certification Precondition (CP) was granted is indeed highly suspect.
The Kaliwa Dam Project has damaging consequences. It will deprive communities of their capacity to fish from the rivers, affect the local tourism industry and the livelihood of the people. The project is also expected to negatively impact the Indigenous Peoples, their ancestral lands, residences, sacred places and culture.
Furthermore, it puts at risk thousands of people in case the dam is damaged due to an earthquake or any disaster. It also makes people more vulnerable to flooding and other harsh effects of climate change.
Together with many other organizations and individuals, we pledge to support the fight against this destructive project. We join all those who are saying No! to the Kaliwa Dam Project and Yes! to better water solutions. Instead of destroying the environment and the communities, government must instead seek alternative water solutions that are practical, long-term and more sustainable.
📷: Stop Kaliwa Dam
MAKIISA SA LAKAD. MAKIISA SA LABAN.
✏ Pirmahan at ibahagi ang petisyon: change.org/stopkaliwadam
🩴 Suportahan ang Alay-Lakad: bit.ly/supportalaylakad
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