Group laments exclusion from Kaliwa Dam project talks

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – A group is calling for the scrapping of a recently-signed memorandum of agreement for the construction of the Kaliwa Dam project, saying that not all indigenous peoples (IPs) were consulted on the building of the dam. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Network Opposed to Kaliwa, Kanan, and Laiban Dams (NO to KKLD) said not all members of the Dumagat-Remontado group were allowed entry into the venue for a series of weeklong consultations--which ended in the signing of an agreement--between the IPs and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).<script src='https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.5' async type='text/javascript'></script><div class='fb-post' data-href='https://web.facebook.com/NoToNCWSProject/posts/1103630727135956' data-width='auto'> </div>“Yung pinadalo nila ay yung pinili nila mismo,” NO to KKLD spokesperson Kakay Tolentino told ANC’s “Rundown.” “Hindi mga tao yung nagbigay ng kinatawan para dumalo sa konsultasyon o negosasyon,” she said.“Ito yung sinasabi na simula’t sapul naman alam nila na meron kaming grupo, sa hanay naming mga katutubong Dumagat na umaayaw talaga yung pag-construct ng Kaliwa Dam,” she added.“Subalit itinutuloy-tuloy nila ‘to, kahit doon sa sinasabi nilang pagkuha o pagproseso ng free prior informed consent ay pinipili lamang nila yung inihaharap o kaharap nila para pag-usapan yung mga kaugnay sa pagsasagawa ng dam.”“Ang nakalista lang sa kanila ay 116 na pwedeng pumasok sa negosasyon,” Tolentino said. “At ang mga 116 na yan ay, ito yung sinasabi kong pinili lamang nila. Maraming hindi nakapasok dahil ito yung alam nila na anti-dam na tumitindig para sa tamang proseso ng [free prior informed consent] at ano pa man.”Tolentino said they have not given their consent for the project since government officials have yet to explain what will happen to residents who will be displaced by the Kaliwa Dam project.“Kaugnay sa plano ng resettlement, hindi kailanman ito dinsicuss o tinackle sa harap ng mga konsultasyoN. Dahil siimula pa noong 2019, naghahanap na kami o humihingi kami ng blueprint plan ng mula sa MWSS subalit hindi ito pinagbibigyan ng ahensyang ito.”“Kaya hindi namin din makita ano talaga young eksaktong plano, maging doon sa partikular na sinasabing Kaliwa construction dam ay walang pinapakitang plano kaya kaugnay pa doon sa resettlement ay hindi naman talaga ito tinatalakay,” she explained.Tolentino also added that government has yet to tell them what will become of their livelihoods once the dam’s construction begins. “Ang sinasabi lang ay magkakaroon sila ng hanapbuhay. Pero ang sa amin, sa panig namin, kapag ito ay nangyari, yung pagsasagawa ng dam…ang lulubugin nito ay aming mga taniman, pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan tulad ng kagubatan, tulad ng kailogan.”“Dahil ito yung source o pinagmumulan ng maing buhay at kabuhayan – yung ilog, yung kagubatan, yung kalupaan ng Sierra Madre,” she said.She also stressed that the Dumagat are living on their ancestral land.“Dito na kami nabuhay, at dito na rin namatay ang aming mga ninuno, na kung saan ang wala kaming ibang alam puntahan kung ito ay mawawasak at pati kami ay mawawalan ng kalalagyan.”“Ang aming sinasabi nga, ang tubig, ang kalupaan, ang kagubatan ay aming buhay, aming kabuhayan at mismong aming pagkatao bilang mga katutubong dumagat sa Sierra Madre.”Tolentino said they are now drafting another petition to stop the dam’s construction, which they will submit to the NCIP for deliberation in their next en banc session. “Ang kausnod kasi nito ay magkakaroon ng en banc meeting ang National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, so sa panig namin at kasama ang komunidad na anti-dam ay magsasubmit kami uli ng isang petisyon para ito ay ihahain sa panahon ng en banc meeting ng NCIP.”The date of the session, however, remains uncertain, said Tolentino. --ANC, 7 February 2022<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/13/20/china-calls-kaliwa-dam-project-a-great-achievement-in-ph'>China calls Kaliwa Dam project a 'great achievement' in PH</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/03/20/kaliwa-dam-among-flagship-government-projects-for-water-security-says-official'>Kaliwa Dam among flagship government projects for water security, says official</a></li></ul>

“Yung pinadalo nila ay yung pinili nila mismo,” NO to KKLD spokesperson Kakay Tolentino told ANC’s “Rundown.” “Hindi mga tao yung nagbigay ng kinatawan para dumalo sa konsultasyon o negosasyon,” she said.“Ito yung sinasabi na simula’t sapul naman alam nila na meron kaming grupo, sa hanay naming mga katutubong Dumagat na umaayaw talaga yung pag-construct ng Kaliwa Dam,” she added.“Subalit itinutuloy-tuloy nila ‘to, kahit doon sa sinasabi nilang pagkuha o pagproseso ng free prior informed consent ay pinipili lamang nila yung inihaharap o kaharap nila para pag-usapan yung mga kaugnay sa pagsasagawa ng dam.”“Ang nakalista lang sa kanila ay 116 na pwedeng pumasok sa negosasyon,” Tolentino said. “At ang mga 116 na yan ay, ito yung sinasabi kong pinili lamang nila. Maraming hindi nakapasok dahil ito yung alam nila na anti-dam na tumitindig para sa tamang proseso ng [free prior informed consent] at ano pa man.”Tolentino said they have not given their consent for the project since government officials have yet to explain what will happen to residents who will be displaced by the Kaliwa Dam project.“Kaugnay sa plano ng resettlement, hindi kailanman ito dinsicuss o tinackle sa harap ng mga konsultasyoN. Dahil siimula pa noong 2019, naghahanap na kami o humihingi kami ng blueprint plan ng mula sa MWSS subalit hindi ito pinagbibigyan ng ahensyang ito.”“Kaya hindi namin din makita ano talaga young eksaktong plano, maging doon sa partikular na sinasabing Kaliwa construction dam ay walang pinapakitang plano kaya kaugnay pa doon sa resettlement ay hindi naman talaga ito tinatalakay,” she explained.Tolentino also added that government has yet to tell them what will become of their livelihoods once the dam’s construction begins. “Ang sinasabi lang ay magkakaroon sila ng hanapbuhay. Pero ang sa amin, sa panig namin, kapag ito ay nangyari, yung pagsasagawa ng dam…ang lulubugin nito ay aming mga taniman, pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan tulad ng kagubatan, tulad ng kailogan.”“Dahil ito yung source o pinagmumulan ng maing buhay at kabuhayan – yung ilog, yung kagubatan, yung kalupaan ng Sierra Madre,” she said.She also stressed that the Dumagat are living on their ancestral land.“Dito na kami nabuhay, at dito na rin namatay ang aming mga ninuno, na kung saan ang wala kaming ibang alam puntahan kung ito ay mawawasak at pati kami ay mawawalan ng kalalagyan.”“Ang aming sinasabi nga, ang tubig, ang kalupaan, ang kagubatan ay aming buhay, aming kabuhayan at mismong aming pagkatao bilang mga katutubong dumagat sa Sierra Madre.”Tolentino said they are now drafting another petition to stop the dam’s construction, which they will submit to the NCIP for deliberation in their next en banc session. “Ang kausnod kasi nito ay magkakaroon ng en banc meeting ang National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, so sa panig namin at kasama ang komunidad na anti-dam ay magsasubmit kami uli ng isang petisyon para ito ay ihahain sa panahon ng en banc meeting ng NCIP.”The date of the session, however, remains uncertain, said Tolentino. --ANC, 7 February 2022<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/13/20/china-calls-kaliwa-dam-project-a-great-achievement-in-ph'>China calls Kaliwa Dam project a 'great achievement' in PH</a></li>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/03/20/kaliwa-dam-among-flagship-government-projects-for-water-security-says-official'>Kaliwa Dam among flagship government projects for water security, says official</a></li></ul>

MANILA – A group is calling for the scrapping of a recently-signed memorandum of agreement for the construction of the Kaliwa Dam project, saying that not all indigenous peoples (IPs) were consulted on the building of the dam. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Network Opposed to Kaliwa, Kanan, and Laiban Dams (NO to KKLD) said not all members of the Dumagat-Remontado group were allowed entry into the venue for a series of weeklong consultations--which ended in the signing of an agreement--between the IPs and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

A group is calling for the scrapping of a recently-signed memorandum of agreement for the construction of the Kaliwa Dam project, saying that not all indigenous peoples (IPs) were consulted on the building of the dam. 

Group laments exclusion from Kaliwa Dam project talks | ABS-CBN News

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Group laments exclusion from Kaliwa Dam project talks

Group laments exclusion from Kaliwa Dam project talks