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A resource base under threat

I joined a media group in Baguio in a discussion with Presidential Assistant for the Cordillera Thomas Killip. Our discussion focused on the Cordillera as the water cradle of Northern Luzon. We got the information from PA Killip that there are 13 major rivers in the region that served as the water sources for the agricultural and domestic needs of the communities in the Cordillera and other regions nearby. The information validate the data raised by several NGOs and environmentalists.

I agree with him when he said that to ensure the water needs of the people in Northern Luzon, the water system in the region should be maintained. In fact, programs that support this system should be adopted.

In the discussion, two issues were pointed out. First, why did the watershed system continuously persist? Two, any program that imperils the watershed system should be studied and stopped.

A long time leader of an indigenous community in Sagada, PA Killip pointed out the role of the indigenous system on forest management as an important component for watershed protection. The clan or communal forest management is still practiced in the different communities in the Cordillera. It must be pointed out however that the system is not recognized by the state system. The non-recognition of the IP system by the state system is in fact a real threat for the integration of the former. And if the state wanted to preserve the character of the region as watershed cradle, it must adopt the indigenous system and set aside the state system which is, anyway, colonial in nature. This state historical injustice committed against indigenous peoples can be cured through legislation but I doubt its approval by congress given its composition dominated by the elite and corporate interests.

Again I agree with PA Killip on his position that any project that deviate with the concept of the region as a watershed cradle should be studied and stopped. The Cordillera has been opposing logging in their area. I must cite again the Tinggian opposition against the Cellophil Resources Corporation that was to denude the forests at Abra, Kalinga and Mt. Province. It is good that the present administration retracted the earlier plan to open the region for commercial logging. In fact, the government should implement forest rehabilitation as the Cordillera forests were opened for massive commercial logging after World War II. The region has not recovered from the effects of logging. Instead the communities rehabilitated it based on their indigenous forest system .

The present administration though has programs in the Cordillera that subvert the water cradle system. This is step to its commitment as to the international market, specifically on the liberalization of mining. Several corporate interests have applied for mining activities in the region. These interests are not simply involved in mining. They are involved in large-scale mining. In fact, some of them have notable record on environmental destructions.

Large scale mining was proven to be the contributor on the destruction of our rivers. The cry of the communities along the Agno and Abra Rivers still reverberate in my mind. They narrated that mine wastes dumped into these rivers caused ill-effects to their health, livelihood, and resources. The polluted rivers affected their agricultural yield, and aquatic resources. Silt covered vast agricultural lands which transform into wastelands. Several studies by different groups attest to these facts.

And what did our concerned government agencies do to rehabilitate these rivers? I heard none. In fact, the rehabilitation of the Abra river is raised by non-government groups bonded under the STARM or Save the Abra River Movement.

But can the Abra River be rehabilitated despite the industrial mine waste pollution that it experiences? The answer is a big YES. While the LCMC tailings dam # 5 was built along the Mankayan River, wastes cannot be fully contained in that dam. Hence, wastes flow down the Abra river especially during rainy season.

Despite this, however, several fresh water from upper areas flow to the Abra river. Fresh waters in these areas makes the Abra river, including the specie therein, possible for rehabilitation. But mine wastes dumping in the Abra river must be contained.

From my interaction with community organizers and villagers in these areas, I found out the different bodies of waters that flow into the Abra river and Balas-iyan river. The head water sources of the Abra River start from brooks and creeks of Mt. Data, Bauko Mt. Province, which join the Guinaoang and Suyoc rivers. From Bakun, Benguet, the Daeng and Suwagayan rivers flow down to join the Abra River. From Tadian, Mt. Province, the Apaoan and Abit rivers and the Aweg river from Cervantes, Ilocos Sur flow and join the Abra river.

The Balas-iyan river has its sources from the Buasao lake in Sagada and Besao, Mt. Province. The Buasao water flows down and met with the water from Gueday, Ambagiw, Tambuoan, Dandanac, and Kabangguitan of Besao. Water from Patiakan, Quirino, Ilocos Sur, join the Balas-iyan river. And the Balas-iyan river joins the Abra river in Legleg, Quirino. Like the other The Balas-iyan feeds hectares of rice fields along the Besao down to Quirino.

Based on my conversation with a community organizers in these areas, these communities practice the indigenous forest management system.

Their indigenous forest management ensure the fresh waters that run into these rivers. They make the Abra river alive. And the rehabilitation of the Abra river is possible. But the mine waste must be contained in their tailings dam. And the government must adopt stricter implementation for these mining corporate liabilities in order that the peoples rehabilitation will not be put into waste. #

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