May 13, 2011
By Lullie Micabalo, TVIRD Canatuan Public Affairs Manager
Juan Randis is a tribal leader of the Subanons, the indigenous peoples (IP) of the Zamboanga Peninsula in Southern Philippines. The man’s demeanor mirrors the hardships that people, especially the lumads (IPs), have to endure in poverty-stricken rural villages in the Peninsula. Despite having lived a difficult life, however, Manong (elder male) Juan possesses traits that endear him even to strangers – he is honest and a free thinker.
In Balubo village where he was born and raised, Manong Juan is among the lumads in Roxas town of Zamboanga del Norte (one of the three provinces that comprise the Peninsula), who understand the importance of mining and the benefits that it could bring to impoverished communities without sacrificing the environment. His deep understanding of mining is extraordinary considering the strong campaigning by some sectors against the industry.
Subanon tribal leader Juan Randis of Balubo, Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte understands the importance of mining and the benefits that it could bring to the impoverished communities without sacrificing the environment.
“You do not have to explain to me why we need mining,” he says smiling. “My son-in-law works with the government’s Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) which operates a coal mine in one of the towns of Zamboanga Sibugay. From him, I learned why we should mine our mineral resources.”
I came to know of Manong Juan through Benjie Macalisang and Victor Jomola, both members of the TVIRD team who were assigned as “advance party” for our information and education campaign in Manong Juan’s home village of Balubo. The two recommended Manong Juan to serve as our cook during the length of our stay in Balubo.
Edmund Jamelarin (at foreground, with cap) of TVIRD CReDO introduces the company to residents of Balubo during the community assembly. Sitting at right is Barangay Captain Nenito Corregidor-Bataan. Below, Forester Gemma Tolentino explains the environmental program of TVIRD.
Our group is one of the teams assigned by TVIRD to conduct an education campaign among the Subanon Cultural Communities in different villages of northern Zamboanga del Norte to secure their consent on the company’s plan to conduct mineral exploration activities in their areas. The villages are part of TVIRD’s North Zamboanga Tenements consisting of the municipalities of Manukan, Roxas, Katipunan, Sergio Osmena, and Jose Dalman. Our group is assigned to Roxas town covering 14 barangays.
The teams of Mario Abastar and Nasser Antao, both from TVIRD’s Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO), are focused on Sergio Osmena-Katipunan, and Manukan-Jose Dalman, respectively, while Goody Bartolo of the company’s Permitting Department looks after our needs and prepares the documents for submission to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
Corporate Social Commitments Manager Mario Abastar (top photo) and team
member Victor Jomola (middle photo) explain the benefits and cycle of
mining, respectively, to the IP residents during the community
consultative assembly.
“Getting the services of Manong Juan is one way of letting the villagers know that local employment is one of the benefits that mining can bring to communities,” Benjie tells Victor, a new employee of the company.
“Okay kaayo ko nga magluto ninyo. Mokita na ko makakita pa kog bag-ong mga higala (I am very much willing to cook for you. Besides earning, I will also meet new friends.”),” Manong Juan says.
Manong Juan (at extreme right) with his new friends from TVIRD shares a light moment after partaking of dinner at a makeshift copra house.
While preparing our dinner, Manong Juan shared his thoughts on mining and development. His insights were informative and helpful on the task we are doing in his village, which depends primarily on coconut farming. Although the village was founded in the 1950s, Balubo residents have yet to see development in their area. Barangay Captain (village chief) Nenito Corrigidor-Bataan is hoping that their village will soon have electricity before the year ends.
Like in other remote villages of Roxas and other towns of the province, the road to Balubo is bad. Habal-habals (motorcycles) are the prime means of transportation and which the villagers rely on to transport copra, their main agricultural product, to the Roxas town center.
“I wish you could start exploration soon,” Manong Juan adds. “I am sure my fellow villagers will be happy to host it. I am also sure they will understand the industry once they will be informed of the benefits they will enjoy and the environmental programs you’ll undertake. If you look around, everybody is depending so much on coconut farming. You know the copra industry, the prices are not stable.”
A portion of the Panampalay mountain range which the team traversed in order to reach the IP community in the area. Below, Public Affairs Manager Lullie Micabalo expounds on the benefits to be derived by the community from mining. Third photo shows residents of Panampalay village who attended the assembly.
Another Subanon tribal leader, Marcos Balawag, who is also a former village chief of Panampalay, Roxas town’s farthest village, shares Manong Juan’s dream. Balawag’s place is located some 23 kilometers from the town center and the poor condition of the area is very much the same as Balubo. What further contributes to the depressing situation is the very bad condition of the roads which has further reduced the income of its residents. Copra buyers deduct P3 to P4 per kilo of the farmers’ copra because of the high cost of transporting this produce.
“If a kilo of copra is P48 at the poblacion (town center), buyers purchase the copra at P45 or P44 a kilo from us,” the former village chair said. “That’s how the road condition has been robbing us of our income for so many years.”
Our group also experienced terrible road conditions as we rode the habal-habal that brought us to Panampalay. Everybody in the team suffered back aches as we traversed the slippery road. There were times that we had to walk to avoid road accidents. But no one was complaining, even if we slept on top of tables or the cold floor of the Multi-Purpose Hall that Barangay Captain Sammy Ganduyo graciously offered to us as our sleeping quarters.
Gemma Tolentino and Lullie Micabalo (top photo) share a table, their makeshift bed during their sleepover at the Panampalay Barangay Hall. Above, team member Benjie Macalisang prepares his "bed" on the cold pavement of the hall together with other team members.
The hall accommodated all of us, along with the team from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). Marife Alagono, NCIP Paralegal officer, and Community Affairs Officer Pedro Gumalal are spearheading the conduct of the community consultative assemblies, while we educate the people on the basics of the mining industry as part of the process of securing the tribe’s Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), a requirement of the Mining Act before companies are given permits to explore.
Panampalay was its best when we set foot on the village. Enveloped by cold mist that seems to kiss the white clouds in the sky, it is so peaceful like its amiable residents. The place, however, is wanting of development, so much like Manong Juan’s Balubo. I know out there in the other villages of northern Zamboanga del Norte there are many Manong Juans who wants responsible mining to happen in their own village, if only for the sake of their children’s future.
Subanon women also actively participated at the Balubo community assembly (above) while women from Barangay Capase eagerly raised their hands to ask questions despite the heavy rains (below).
Floro Pacatang (left) prepares an improvised kerosene lamp which they later used to light their way at night (right).
Despite the trying conditions, no one was complaining. Here, Community Organizer Diosdado Sumiton, Victor Jomola and Program Officer Edmund Jamelarin smile at the camera. Below, Gemma Tolentino pose at the river where the team takes a dip to refresh.
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