MANILA – The local government of Infanta, Quezon reiterated its stance against the construction of the Kaliwa Dam on Wednesday, even as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) suspended the project’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) over a number of issues.

Newspaper reports have said that the project’s ECC was suspended due to its failure to comply with zoning requirements.

DENR Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr. also said the indigenous peoples in the area have not yet given their Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) for the project. The FPIC is a requirement under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997.

“Ang paninindigan po ng Infanta is kami po ay parang magiging sacrificial lamb pagdating dito po sa Kaliwa Dam Project, Infanta being a delta,” said Mayor Filipina Grace America.

(We stand by our previous statments that we will be a sacrificial lamb in the Kaliwa Dam project, Infanta being a delta.)

She recalled how Infanta was flooded in 2004, and how this caused trauma to their residents.

“Siguro hindi po naman lingid sa inyo yung nangyari nung 2004 flash floods dito… wherein Infanta had been submerged into water and muds. At ito po ay isang traumatic experience sa taga-Infanta,” she said.

(I hope you all still remember how in 2004, there were flash floods that submerged us in water and mud. This was a traumatic experience for us.)

“Ang aming pong pananaw ito po ay hindi makakatulong sa aming bayan, at sana po merong ibang mga kaparaanan na pwedeng gawin para po magkaroon ng suplay ng tubig sa Metro Manila at wala pong masakripisyo na mga lugar.”

(Our view is that this won't help our town, and I hope there are other ways to help Metro Manila with its water supply without sacrificng any other area.)

Environment and IP groups have protested the construction of the dam, noting that it falls within a protected area, and encroaches on ancestral domain.

• Stop Kaliwa Dam, groups call anew on Save Sierra Madre Day

--TeleRadyo, 25 October 2022