By: Alma B. Sinumlag
“Saan a lapped ti pagkababaem a mangitakder iti kailiam” (Being a woman is not a hindrance in defending your people). Dominga Gaspar, 54 years old recalled that these were the words told to her by one of their elders that had given her inspiration to fight and continue fighting along with her people against the mining company intruding their land. She added that these words summoned all her strength amidst the challenges in building unity among her folks, in the massive information education campaign, in lobbying to the duty bearers, in marching the streets and in setting up a barricade to register resistance in the corporate funded mineral exploration project that threatens their land, life resources. These are words of trust that she has hold on to in what she said as the unending struggle against corporate plunder.
A daughter of Bakun
Dominga is native of Gambang, Bakun in the province of Benguet belonging to the Kankana-ey tribe. She is a daughter of a Bakun lass and a gentleman from Kapangan who lived through farming after the World War II. She had a dream to study amid their financial status thus, after finishing elementary; she went to her aunt in San Fernando, La Union to get her High School diploma. However, she wasn’t able to pursue her tertiary education because her family can no longer afford to send her. She then went back to her hometown.
As the first daughter among her siblings, she has to help her parents in all the domestic chores that included looking after her younger brothers and sisters. She also helped in their vegetable garden which according to her was very organic then despite the introduction commercial farming. She remembered that their community in the 1970s was only producing for their food consumption because there was no farm to market roads.
At the age of 21, she married a gentleman from Bakun and bore three children. At the time that she has her own family, they were already into commercial farming because the Sinipsip-Ampusungan road was finally opened for them to be able to sell their produce in other places in the province. She said, farming has sustained her family for a long time.
“Uman-anay met nga pagbiag. Adda maminsan nga ma-loss ngem adda met maminsan nga suwerte ket agsobra isunga mabalin nga magatang nu anya ti kayat ti ubbing,” (It can suffice for our needs. Sometimes we lose, sometimes, we get lucky that is why we can buy what our children need) she said. However, as time passes by, she said, their produce can no longer sustain them. During lean months, they end up into hand to mouth existence. She attributed this to the commercialization of agriculture where a lot of farm inputs are introduced and the government started importing vegetables from other countries. These she said has resulted to their indebtedness most of the time.
The alarming mine’s intrusion and deception
“Idi inmay ti RoyalCo nga ag-explore, ammuk nga madi diay ta iti linteg nga Republic Act 8371, masapul nga alaen da pay ti pammalubos ti IPs. Saan ko lang nga ammu nu ayanna ti pagkamangan mi,” (When RoyalCo started its exploration, I knew then that it wasn’t right because in the Republic Act 8371, they have to secure the consent of IPs (Indigenous Peoples) first before pursuing any activity. However, we didn’t know who to approach) she recalled. She added that they discussed this issue with the Bakun Indigenous Tribe Organization (BITO) hoping that it will help them because it is affiliated with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) but she was mistaken.
She found out that BITO has already endorsed RoyalCo’s application without their knowledge. Despite the unfavourable action of BITO, she wasn’t discouraged. Her driving force was the honor of their forefathers who had fought against the mining companies since time immemorial. She remembered that when the Itogon-Suyoc Mines entered their territory, their forefathers trooped to the provincial capitol to register protest and sought help from the government officials. They did not only lobby once but several times until the company backed out.
In 1998, she was invited by their elders to join the Council of Elders/Leaders (COL) to decide on the exploration application of Dalton Pacific. She was flattered then that their elders considered her to be one of the community leaders. It was that time when she was informed of their rights as IPs. They then denied the company’s application. Several years after, in 2006, Dalton came back bearing a different name, Oxiana but the community overwhelmingly voted No for its application. After several years, the company came back with a name, RoyalCo. She said that this company used treachery in order to enter. It organized the Gambang Land Owners Association (GALA) for it to get the consent and befriended BITO that endorsed their application.
Threatened, they thought of registering their protest even without an organization but they also found out that it will not work. Timely she said, there were people from the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) who visited their area thus, they grabbed the opportunity to seek help relative to forming an organization and lobbying.
The challenge of building unity
With the help of CPA, they formed the Bantay ken Kinabaknang ti Umili a Nagtaudan – Aywanan (BAKUN Aywanan). It was only then that they again registered their protest against the aforementioned company by lobbying to the concerned agencies and even marching on the streets. Dominga mentioned that they were even vilified by mining company conduits as an organization of the New Peoples Army (NPA) which was even published in newspapers but they remained firm and continued their fight to save what is left to their resources.
“Saan kami a kinmapsut. Inggana tatta ket tuluy-tuloy kami latta despite iti pammadakes da personal man wenno iti organization,” (We were never discouraged. Despite their false accusations, we are still here to fight) she passionately added. When she was asked about her most challenging experience in organizing, she said, the whole process of organizing and leading the community is time consuming. She recalled that they had to spend even the night time explaining to her folks regarding their rights as IPs over their ancestral land and the possible effects of allowing the company in their land based on the experiences of their neighbors like Mankanyan and Itogon.
“Kinanayunak nga marabian, nu maminsan pay ket haanakon nga makaawid,” (I always get home late. Sometimes I don’t go home at all) she added. It was very hard she further said to do information education campaigns especially for farmers who are only free at night. And because they have no fund to start with, they had to ride their campaign activities during community activities like Cañao.
After all the hardwork, BAKUN Aywanan she said was able to unite the majority of the Gambang folks. They have already organized community dialogues with the duty bearers like the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) that unfortunately remain on the side of the company. They trooped to the provincial capitol not only once but thrice to jolt their local government officials. They went to Congress to register their demands to the committee on National Cultural Communities (NCC) and they marched the streets countless of times but the company is still there waiting for the perfect timing to ravage their resources.
The historical accident
“Akas kuma iti leon, a nauyong, gapu idiay a pasamak, karkaro a rinmungsot,” (We became ruthless as a lion because of the incident). Dominga likened their selves to a lion when asked what they felt during the historical accident that marked the height of their struggle. February 2011 was supposedly the scheduled on-site hearing of the NCC in Bakun but was marred by road accident that injured some of their members. They attributed this to the pro mining group’s changing of the original venue. The venue they proposed was in Bagtangan Elementary School which is very accessible and safe. However, the pro mining group changed the venue to what they call, ‘neutral ground’ in Poblacion Gambang that has a very steep and narrow road that eventually led to the road mishap.
“Ayyo, talaga nga desperate ak idiay ngem kasapulan nga patibkeren ti pakinakem ta sika ti agli-lead ti tao,” (I was very desperate at that moment but I need to keep my composure because I was among the ones leading the group) she said while recalling the incident. However, she admitted that she did not help herself from confronting the people from the NCIP because of anger. The agency she said that is supposed to be protecting them did not heed their plights despite a lot of dialogues conducted. She remembered herself screaming in front of the NCIP regional director, “How many times will we register that we do not want the project before you can hear us?” Some of the community members were discouraged but to most of them, it had ignited the fire in their hearts. It made them as fierce as a lion.
At the barricade
Fuelled by anger and their strong will to get the mining company off their land, they set up a barricade at the entry point of Gambang the next month after the accident. It was to block the mining equipment from entering their territory because there was an information that RoyalCo is preparing to transport their machines to the area in order to start their exploration activities.
The barricade lasted for seven months. The division of guarding the barricade Dominga said was four days for women and three days for men every week. They started it with only bravery and courage as a foundation.
They survived the first months of the barricade by working together and sharing resources. Gaining more support, several personalities and government officials donated their needs at the site specially food. They also received donations from exposurees who went to the site for solidarity purposes. She is proud to say that the support from various groups has covered enough the needs in the barricade site. They ended the barricade when there was a notification that the permit of the company specifically in Gambang was revoked.
The unending struggle
“Kaano ngay nga malpas daytoy nga laban tayo?” (When will our struggle end?) This was the question often asked to her by her folks. She is always responding by telling them to always brace their selves because it is an unending battle. With her exposure to several mining conferences, she has come up with a wider view regarding the situation of corporate mining plunder.
Sharing of other people affected with the wrath of destructive large scale mining somehow gave them strength knowing that they are not the only ones resisting it. She then explains to her folks that RoyalCo is not the only problem because the region is covered by a lot of mining application thus, the struggle can be passed to their younger generations.
Moreover, she shared that it is normal for an organization to have ups and downs. There are times that the people get too tired of lobbying and resisting but she is always challenging them not to give up or else their efforts will go in vain. When asked until when will she stand up for her community, she said, “until I am still here, until the community is respected of their rights, and until the development is self-determined and responsible”.
“Saan a lapped ti pagkababaem a mangitakder iti kailiam” (Being a woman is not a hindrance in defending your people). Dominga Gaspar, 54 years old recalled that these were the words told to her by one of their elders that had given her inspiration to fight and continue fighting along with her people against the mining company intruding their land. She added that these words summoned all her strength amidst the challenges in building unity among her folks, in the massive information education campaign, in lobbying to the duty bearers, in marching the streets and in setting up a barricade to register resistance in the corporate funded mineral exploration project that threatens their land, life resources. These are words of trust that she has hold on to in what she said as the unending struggle against corporate plunder.
A daughter of Bakun
Dominga is native of Gambang, Bakun in the province of Benguet belonging to the Kankana-ey tribe. She is a daughter of a Bakun lass and a gentleman from Kapangan who lived through farming after the World War II. She had a dream to study amid their financial status thus, after finishing elementary; she went to her aunt in San Fernando, La Union to get her High School diploma. However, she wasn’t able to pursue her tertiary education because her family can no longer afford to send her. She then went back to her hometown.
As the first daughter among her siblings, she has to help her parents in all the domestic chores that included looking after her younger brothers and sisters. She also helped in their vegetable garden which according to her was very organic then despite the introduction commercial farming. She remembered that their community in the 1970s was only producing for their food consumption because there was no farm to market roads.
At the age of 21, she married a gentleman from Bakun and bore three children. At the time that she has her own family, they were already into commercial farming because the Sinipsip-Ampusungan road was finally opened for them to be able to sell their produce in other places in the province. She said, farming has sustained her family for a long time.
“Uman-anay met nga pagbiag. Adda maminsan nga ma-loss ngem adda met maminsan nga suwerte ket agsobra isunga mabalin nga magatang nu anya ti kayat ti ubbing,” (It can suffice for our needs. Sometimes we lose, sometimes, we get lucky that is why we can buy what our children need) she said. However, as time passes by, she said, their produce can no longer sustain them. During lean months, they end up into hand to mouth existence. She attributed this to the commercialization of agriculture where a lot of farm inputs are introduced and the government started importing vegetables from other countries. These she said has resulted to their indebtedness most of the time.
The alarming mine’s intrusion and deception
“Idi inmay ti RoyalCo nga ag-explore, ammuk nga madi diay ta iti linteg nga Republic Act 8371, masapul nga alaen da pay ti pammalubos ti IPs. Saan ko lang nga ammu nu ayanna ti pagkamangan mi,” (When RoyalCo started its exploration, I knew then that it wasn’t right because in the Republic Act 8371, they have to secure the consent of IPs (Indigenous Peoples) first before pursuing any activity. However, we didn’t know who to approach) she recalled. She added that they discussed this issue with the Bakun Indigenous Tribe Organization (BITO) hoping that it will help them because it is affiliated with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) but she was mistaken.
She found out that BITO has already endorsed RoyalCo’s application without their knowledge. Despite the unfavourable action of BITO, she wasn’t discouraged. Her driving force was the honor of their forefathers who had fought against the mining companies since time immemorial. She remembered that when the Itogon-Suyoc Mines entered their territory, their forefathers trooped to the provincial capitol to register protest and sought help from the government officials. They did not only lobby once but several times until the company backed out.
In 1998, she was invited by their elders to join the Council of Elders/Leaders (COL) to decide on the exploration application of Dalton Pacific. She was flattered then that their elders considered her to be one of the community leaders. It was that time when she was informed of their rights as IPs. They then denied the company’s application. Several years after, in 2006, Dalton came back bearing a different name, Oxiana but the community overwhelmingly voted No for its application. After several years, the company came back with a name, RoyalCo. She said that this company used treachery in order to enter. It organized the Gambang Land Owners Association (GALA) for it to get the consent and befriended BITO that endorsed their application.
Threatened, they thought of registering their protest even without an organization but they also found out that it will not work. Timely she said, there were people from the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) who visited their area thus, they grabbed the opportunity to seek help relative to forming an organization and lobbying.
The challenge of building unity
With the help of CPA, they formed the Bantay ken Kinabaknang ti Umili a Nagtaudan – Aywanan (BAKUN Aywanan). It was only then that they again registered their protest against the aforementioned company by lobbying to the concerned agencies and even marching on the streets. Dominga mentioned that they were even vilified by mining company conduits as an organization of the New Peoples Army (NPA) which was even published in newspapers but they remained firm and continued their fight to save what is left to their resources.
“Saan kami a kinmapsut. Inggana tatta ket tuluy-tuloy kami latta despite iti pammadakes da personal man wenno iti organization,” (We were never discouraged. Despite their false accusations, we are still here to fight) she passionately added. When she was asked about her most challenging experience in organizing, she said, the whole process of organizing and leading the community is time consuming. She recalled that they had to spend even the night time explaining to her folks regarding their rights as IPs over their ancestral land and the possible effects of allowing the company in their land based on the experiences of their neighbors like Mankanyan and Itogon.
“Kinanayunak nga marabian, nu maminsan pay ket haanakon nga makaawid,” (I always get home late. Sometimes I don’t go home at all) she added. It was very hard she further said to do information education campaigns especially for farmers who are only free at night. And because they have no fund to start with, they had to ride their campaign activities during community activities like Cañao.
After all the hardwork, BAKUN Aywanan she said was able to unite the majority of the Gambang folks. They have already organized community dialogues with the duty bearers like the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) that unfortunately remain on the side of the company. They trooped to the provincial capitol not only once but thrice to jolt their local government officials. They went to Congress to register their demands to the committee on National Cultural Communities (NCC) and they marched the streets countless of times but the company is still there waiting for the perfect timing to ravage their resources.
The historical accident
“Akas kuma iti leon, a nauyong, gapu idiay a pasamak, karkaro a rinmungsot,” (We became ruthless as a lion because of the incident). Dominga likened their selves to a lion when asked what they felt during the historical accident that marked the height of their struggle. February 2011 was supposedly the scheduled on-site hearing of the NCC in Bakun but was marred by road accident that injured some of their members. They attributed this to the pro mining group’s changing of the original venue. The venue they proposed was in Bagtangan Elementary School which is very accessible and safe. However, the pro mining group changed the venue to what they call, ‘neutral ground’ in Poblacion Gambang that has a very steep and narrow road that eventually led to the road mishap.
“Ayyo, talaga nga desperate ak idiay ngem kasapulan nga patibkeren ti pakinakem ta sika ti agli-lead ti tao,” (I was very desperate at that moment but I need to keep my composure because I was among the ones leading the group) she said while recalling the incident. However, she admitted that she did not help herself from confronting the people from the NCIP because of anger. The agency she said that is supposed to be protecting them did not heed their plights despite a lot of dialogues conducted. She remembered herself screaming in front of the NCIP regional director, “How many times will we register that we do not want the project before you can hear us?” Some of the community members were discouraged but to most of them, it had ignited the fire in their hearts. It made them as fierce as a lion.
At the barricade
Fuelled by anger and their strong will to get the mining company off their land, they set up a barricade at the entry point of Gambang the next month after the accident. It was to block the mining equipment from entering their territory because there was an information that RoyalCo is preparing to transport their machines to the area in order to start their exploration activities.
The barricade lasted for seven months. The division of guarding the barricade Dominga said was four days for women and three days for men every week. They started it with only bravery and courage as a foundation.
They survived the first months of the barricade by working together and sharing resources. Gaining more support, several personalities and government officials donated their needs at the site specially food. They also received donations from exposurees who went to the site for solidarity purposes. She is proud to say that the support from various groups has covered enough the needs in the barricade site. They ended the barricade when there was a notification that the permit of the company specifically in Gambang was revoked.
The unending struggle
“Kaano ngay nga malpas daytoy nga laban tayo?” (When will our struggle end?) This was the question often asked to her by her folks. She is always responding by telling them to always brace their selves because it is an unending battle. With her exposure to several mining conferences, she has come up with a wider view regarding the situation of corporate mining plunder.
Sharing of other people affected with the wrath of destructive large scale mining somehow gave them strength knowing that they are not the only ones resisting it. She then explains to her folks that RoyalCo is not the only problem because the region is covered by a lot of mining application thus, the struggle can be passed to their younger generations.
Moreover, she shared that it is normal for an organization to have ups and downs. There are times that the people get too tired of lobbying and resisting but she is always challenging them not to give up or else their efforts will go in vain. When asked until when will she stand up for her community, she said, “until I am still here, until the community is respected of their rights, and until the development is self-determined and responsible”.
No comments:
Post a Comment