00:46.0
Kasi po isa po siya sa mga lumalaban doon po sa mining operations doon po sa Cebuyan Islands sa Romblon.
00:53.0
Gusto po natin i-tackle ito dahil pumutok na po itong issue ito sa social media over the past few days.
00:58.0
At kanina nga po nagkaroon ng girean at meron po ilang nagpaprotesta na nasaktan.
01:04.0
Kung nasusundan nyo po yung issue dito sa Cebuyan Islands.
01:07.0
Meron po kasing lalinawin natin kung ano talaga yung nangyayari.
01:11.0
Pero lumalabas meron mining operations.
01:13.0
Isang kumpanya, Nickel Ore po.
01:16.0
Tapos syempre nagre-reklamo yung mga residente. Kine-question yung permit, etc.
01:20.0
Pero more than that, yung pinaka-idea ng mining doon po sa mismong isla na nabasa nga natin.
01:26.0
At ito rin sinasabing mga environmentalist.
01:28.0
Ito po yung tinatawag na Galapagos of the Philippines or of Asia.
01:33.0
So mas pag-usapan po natin sya na mas maraming yung gabi.
01:35.0
Dalawa po yung panauhi natin.
01:37.0
Yung isa po susunod po sya mamaya dahil kasalukuyan po syang nasa meeting doon po sa mga local officials sa Cebuyan Islands ng Romblon.
01:45.0
Kasama na po rin yung mga representatives ng local police doon po sa nangyayaring girean.
01:51.0
Pero sa ngayon po, ang una po nating panauhi na makakasama po natin ay si Mr. JB Guerrera.
01:56.0
Siya po ang taga-pamuno ng Alianza Tigalmina.
02:03.0
Magandang gabi, JB. Thank you for joining us again. Matagal na tayo hindi nakakausap.
02:11.0
Hello, JB. Hello. Nadininig kita. Kumusta?
02:17.0
Magandang gabi Sir Christian. Sorry mukhang nag-freeze ang aking video.
02:22.0
Medyo nag-freeze yung video mo. Anong gawin natin?
02:25.0
Mag-rejoin ka kaya. Sayang ang muka. Magre-rejoin si Mr. JB Guerrera.
02:34.0
Ayan, si JB kasi siya po yung isa sa mga talagang noon pa nakatutok sa issue ng mining.
02:41.0
Ngayong grupo nila, Alianza Tigalmina, talagang dedicated to grupo nito para labanan po yung mga pagmalabis galing po sa mining companies.
02:47.0
So mas pag-uusapan po natin ang malalim itong issue nito. Kasama po siya at mamaya po makakasama natin si Mr. Rodney Galicia.
02:54.0
Siya po yung executive director naman ng Living Laudato Si Philippines.
02:58.0
So nandyan na po ulit si Mr. JB Guerrera. Ayan, tignan natin kung okay na yung video niya. JB? Hello?
03:07.0
Ayan, nawala lang. Hindi lang kita makita. Sayang, ang kapugian.
03:12.0
Take two. Take two.
03:14.0
Alam ko. Ah sige po. Mag-leave po rin ako.
03:17.0
Sige sige. Rejoin. Rejoin.
03:20.0
Ayan. So yan po yung gusto natin pag-uusapan. By the way, marami salamat po rin sa mga patuloy na tumatangkilik sa ating programa. Siguro bago po natin nasimulan yung formal na panayam.
03:31.0
I'd like to greet some of our avid viewers. Si Mr. Archivald Salvador.
03:36.0
Ayan, sabi niya pa video greeting naman po. Yung tatay Binigno Cizon Salvador niya. So birthday po ni tatay Binigno Cizon Salvador. Birthday po niya sa February 13.
03:50.0
Happy birthday in advance po sa inyo at sampu ng inyong kapamilya. Marami marami salamat po for joining us or for always watching us.
03:59.0
Ayan, nandyan na si JB. JB?
04:02.0
Hello, magandang gabi sir Christian. Okay, thank you po.
04:07.0
Marami salamat. Ako talagang lagi ang pinupuan ni Mr. JB Garganera. Mas matanda siya sa akin.
04:12.0
Nakit na nakilala na nasa ANC pa ako. Pinag-uusapan natin. Ito pa rin yung issue ng mina.
04:18.0
Okay, tumbukin natin ano ba nangyari dito sa Cebuyan Island. Bakit ba labis na lang yung gigil ng mga residente at mga grupang katulad nyo doon sa pagpasok ng mining company.
04:28.0
Yes. Well, mahabang po kasi yung kasaysayan ng pagiging makakalikasan ng mga tao at LGU doon sa Cebuyan Island.
04:43.0
It's a small island, maliit siyang isla, tatlong munisipyo, pero napakalaki po ng lugar ng protected area landscape doon.
04:53.0
Mount Giting-giting. Second highest peak in the Philippines pero the toughest mountain climbing terrain niyan.
05:03.0
Diyan nag-training ang mga pumakiat sa Mount Everest ng mga Filipino delegation.
05:09.0
Sa Mount Giting-giting sila nag-training. But beyond that, ang haba po ng laban ng mga taga-Cebuyan na hindi pinapasok ang mining ever since 2005.
05:21.0
May mga nauna nang nag-mine diyan, na pa-alis. The local governments have been since 2005 medyo ambivalent.
05:29.0
Sometimes pumapayag ang sangguniang bayan, nag-i-issue ng endorsement.
05:34.0
Pero the local communities, lalo na ang mga farmers and fisherfolk, and faith-based organizations, I say faith-based not only the Catholics but also the protestants,
05:46.0
and other faiths that have been fairly consistent in opposing the entry kahit anong mining in the area.
05:54.0
Dahil napakaganda po ng natural resources. Mount Giting-giting holds a large primary rainforest.
06:05.0
Yung cleanest inland river freshwater system sa buong Pilipinas ay nandyan sa Cebuyan Island.
06:16.0
At ang tawag nga po dyan ay the Galapagos of Asia.
06:21.0
Hindi na pala Pilipinas o Asia?
06:24.0
Opo kasi yung original na Galapagos, doon din develop ni Charles Darwin yung theory of evolution niya sa sobrang ganda ng biodiversity ng samot sa aring buhay sa Galapagos Island.
06:39.0
Iyan ang pinagmamalaki ng mga taga-Cebuyan na mayroong Mount Giting-giting protected landscape.
06:46.0
They have the cleanest inland freshwater river stream system, at saka they are dubbed as the Galapagos of Asia.
06:56.0
Now with that knowledge, marami talaga sa mga taga-Cebuyan, they are very protective of their natural resources.
07:06.0
Even yung agricultural development dyan, very pronounced, fisheries and agriculture. And they know na ang kanilang ecotourism potential is so high.
07:19.0
Kaya tingin nila better na protectahan ang Cebuyan Island rather than irisk nila yung potential impacts pagkabinuksan yung kanilang protected landscape.
07:33.0
And then the island is subjected to unnecessary risk.
07:38.0
Matagal na po ang mga...
07:40.0
Q1. Para madagdagin natin ang context, ganoon ba kalaki yung Cebuyan Island? Ganoon karami yung residente rito?
07:48.0
Well there are three municipalities. Di ko po kami sa the exact land area. But it's not more than 300,000 population. They do not have enough population for a district.
08:03.0
Di pa sila isang district. It's small in terms of population. Pero in terms of land area, medyo malapad po yung Mount Giting-giting protected landscape.
08:15.0
And even within the buffer zone ng Mount Giting-giting protected area, may mga agrarian reform beneficiaries dyan.
08:23.0
So you have a considerable piece of land dedicated for agriculture.
08:28.0
But more than agriculture, yung fisheries ang pinagmamalaki ng Cebuyan Island. Napakaganda ng fish harvest dyan sa lugar nila.
08:37.0
Now because of that, you know, simple living. In fact may mga areas po dyan sa Cebuyan, walang signal e. Ganoon kapristine pa at medyo isolated yung Cebuyan.
08:51.0
Now you have a small island with a closely knit community. Talagang rural na rural po yan. Pero people there, alam nila, appreciate kung ano ang meron silang kayamanan.
09:03.0
And for them, yung ecotourism and the other natural resources are more than enough para magkaroon sila ng good life nila in Cebuyan.
09:14.0
Sabi mo kanina, this was not the first time na merong gustong pumasok na mining operations sa Cebuyan.
09:20.0
So this has been going on for many years. Pero ganoon ka-successful so far yung mga residente doon sa pagpigil sa pagpasok na mining operations?
09:31.0
At saka in terms of protecting the biodiversity in the area?
09:35.0
Alam nyo yung aliansa tigil nina po kasi we are all over the country.
09:40.0
At itong Cebuyan, isa sa benchmark po namin. Bakit?
09:45.0
Naalala ko po noong around 2006, noong unang na-approve yung isang mineral processing sharing agreement.
09:52.0
Itong Cebuyan resistance na campaign, ang isa sa pinakamabilis na successful campaign namin.
09:59.0
So for less than two years, from 2006 to 2008, napaalis po yung unang nag-attempt na mag-mina dito up to the point na yung Cebuyan Nickel Consortium ang pinaalas ng mga communities.
10:15.0
Bakit? Simple po kasi hindi naipaliwanag ng mining company kung ano talaga yung benefits na ibibigay ng nickel mining sa buong Cebuyan
10:26.0
At ano naman yung impact na daladala nito? Ilang bang ilog, ilang puno ang mapuputod?
10:33.0
Noong panahon yun, alam na po namin mahirap talagang pumuhanan. Wala pa tayong Executive Order on Freedom of Information
10:42.0
And yet, alam po ng mga tao na hindi nagbibigay ng tamang information ang mining company.
10:49.0
That was a very clear reason, napakalino na rason, for local communities in Cebuyan.
10:55.0
Bakit ang dami niyong sinasabi hindi niya masagot ng mga tanong namin. Ilang libang puno ba ang puputulin niyo at ganoong araming tubig ang kukuha ninyo?
11:05.0
The fact na hindi po yan naipaliwanag ng mining company noon, that was enough reason for the local government to change their original stand na open sila sa mining mga early 2000.
11:17.0
And by 2006-2007, naging strong na po ang opposition against mining. Kasi po yung mga nag-attempt noon, hindi nila din i-disclose ilang puno ba talaga ang puputulin at ganoong araming tubig ang maapektuhan ng mining operations.
11:36.0
So far, wala pa talagang nagiging successful na mining companies na talagang mapasok itong Cebuyan, tama ba?
11:45.0
Tama po. Wala pa po. Ito pala. In fact, technically hindi pa dapat magmimina itong Altai Minerals Philippine Corporation kasi exploration permit pa lang siya.
11:58.0
Pero ginawa sobrang dami, 6,000 metric tons yung kanyang hinukay at yun yung gusto niyang ilabas for bulk or testing daw po.
12:09.0
Napakadami noon, Sir Christian, 6,000 metric tons ang gusto nilang ilabas for testing daw ng ores. So in effect, ito pa lang ang unang pagkakataon na nakapaghukay.
12:22.0
There was an attempt, a successful attempt around 2011 na more than 10,000 puno ang in-attempt nilang putulin. Pero napigilan po kasi nakita na may special tree cutting permit na in-issue ang DNR noong time nila pa. 2011 ito.
12:49.0
So Sir Arion, kung sobrang protected dapat yung areas na ito at maraming tao ayaw, bakit nakakalusot yung ganun?
12:56.0
Exactly po. A questionable permit was issued by DNR. Questionably yung inilabas na permit. Di ni-deny pa ng DNR yun at that time.
13:06.0
Pero nung napilitan silang ilabas yung kopya ng special tree cutting permit at napilitan po yung mga local governments to confront the truth
13:15.0
na more than 10,000 trees ang puputulin. Some of them within the protected areas, some of them within the buffer zones.
13:22.0
Doon hindi nagsimula na makita talaga ng LGUs at communities ay niloloko tayo ng mining company. They are not truthful to us, they are not disclosing the information.
13:34.0
Sorry sir, medyo malikot lang yung isip ko. Talaga bang narealize ng local officials noong time na yun na parang niloloko sila o bakala maalam nila pero pumayag sila? May ganun ba ang gulo yan?
13:47.0
I would think walang malinis ang kamay sa mga local governments at that time. And this is the JB Garganera na campaigner.
14:00.0
I am always an optimistic person but knowing how government works, imposible na walang nakakaalam sa LGU na merong nagpaalam na magpuputul sila ng libo-libong puno.
14:14.0
At ang nag-issue po ay DENR. Malamang po merong papel na umikot at sinabi ganito ang puputulin namin dyan.
14:25.0
Pero the permit was issued by DENR. And I think ang talagang landmark dito sa Cebuyan sa height ng pagiging makakalikasan ng mga tao,
14:42.0
nang isang municipal councillor yung buhay niya para ipaglab. I think this was 2012 nung si Armin Marino. Either 2012 or 2009, I get the dates mixed up now.
15:01.0
He was precisely in a rally in front of a mining company headquarters. Tapos ito sa election year, naalala ko kasi I know may gun ban.
15:14.0
Yan ang issue noon. Nagra-rally yung mga environmental activists in the communities led by the local government.
15:21.0
Si Armin Marin, ang municipal councillor. And he confronted a security of the mining company.
15:28.0
Sabi ni Armin Marin, bakit ka may barel? It is an election campaign period. You are not allowed to have a gun outside.
15:37.0
Kahit ma-private premises yan, you're inside the gate. Bakit ka may barel?
15:42.0
Tapos nagkaroon ng confrontation, the security forces tried to paalisin yung mga tao. Then nagkaroon ng taso na barel si Armin Marin. He died on the spot.
15:55.0
At palagyan ko po, yan ang isang buhay na karanasan ng mga taga-Sibuyan.
16:02.0
That they will never forget the sacrifice of an Armin Marin para sa kalikasan, para sa Sibuyan.
16:09.0
And I think, isa po yung alaala na talaga nagpapatiba. E hindi namin papayagan ito.
16:14.0
Hindi ibinuwistok isa namin kasamahan na taga-Sibuyan yung kanyang buhay para lang sirain nyo itong napakaganda naming isla.
16:22.0
Speaking of a very beautiful island, ito ba yun? Yung Mount Giteng-Giteng?
16:27.0
Yes, apo yun po yung Mount Giteng-Giteng.
16:29.0
Grabe, ang ganda.
16:30.0
Itong po kasing Altay is a nickel mining operations. Previous to that, yung mga napaalis is a gold mining corporation.
16:38.0
Yung derechong tatamaan po talaga itong Mount Giteng-Giteng.
16:42.0
Itong Altay, yung gold mining noon.
16:46.0
Nasa loob po mismo ng Mount Giteng-Giteng, yung gustong minahin ng gold. Itong Altay mineral, nasa gilid-gilid po pero nasa loob pa rin.
16:56.0
Pero nasa gilid-gilid po nitong protected area. Plus a large part ay nasa buffer zone.
17:02.0
So technically, a buffer zone, it still has, mayroon pa rin siyang level of protection.
17:08.0
Kasi diyan na mag-meet yung multiple use, pwede kang mag-aral, pwede kang konting tanim-tanim, konting harvest.
17:17.0
Compared dun sa protected zone na strictly protected area.
17:21.0
Teka, ito yung gusto ko rin maintindihan.
17:23.0
Kasi usually sa experience natin sa ganyan sa mga paglaban sa mga mining operations,
17:29.0
lagi merong justification na nakahanap kung saan-saan yung mga kumpanya.
17:34.0
We don't know how they're twisting the law or at least finding loopholes.
17:39.0
Pero I'm not saying na ito yung nangyari dito.
17:42.0
Pero sa isang ordinaryong observer, kung napaka-protected ang area nyo dahil napaka-ganda,
17:47.0
pero bakit mga ganitong...
17:49.0
Sa mga reports diba, dito sa Philippine Star, sa philstar.com, hindi po yung diyario, philstar.com.
17:55.0
Hi, Camille, Yola, Jonathan DeSantos and the rest of the team.
18:00.0
Yan, sinasabi ng interview nila dun sa regional director sa MIMAROPA,
18:04.0
Mines and Geosciences Bureau, na binigyan ng mineral ore export permit yung company.
18:11.0
For bulk testing purposes, but it's approved exploration work program.
18:15.0
So ibig sabihin, hindi naman technically off-limits ang mining dito sa Cebuyan Island.
18:19.0
Kasi binapayagan at least exploration, diba? Tama ba?
18:23.0
Which is the point of contention po natin.
18:26.0
Hindi dapat nabigyan ng Mineral Processing Sharing Agreement yan nitong 2022.
18:32.0
Kasi yung status na protected goes before July 2022.
18:38.0
Kaya lang po nabigyan yan ng mining contract which is the Mineral Processing Sharing Agreement.
18:44.0
Nitong 2022 na lang nung na-renew at nabigyan siya ng MPSA.
18:49.0
Ang argument po ng environmental lawyers at ng LGU,
18:54.0
eh yung permit mo nga questionable kasi mas nauna yung protected area status ng Mt. Giteng-Giteng bago yung permit mo.
19:03.0
Ngayon nabigyan po siya ng ore transport permit on the basis na may mining contract siya.
19:10.0
Ang argument, hindi ka nga dapat nabigyan ng mining contract kasi protected area status yung part ng Mt. Giteng-Giteng.
19:18.0
So nauna yung protected status bago nabigyan ng kontrata itong kumpanya?
19:25.0
Yes. Kasi na-July lang. July 2022 lang siya nabigyan.
19:29.0
A few weeks after the assumption of this new administration nabigyan siya ng Mineral Processing Sharing Agreement.
19:39.0
Sino ba may-ari ng kumpanya na ito?
19:43.0
Ito po ay pag may-ari ng Altay and you have some Filipino names coming up.
19:51.0
Some of them are Chinese sounding.
19:54.0
Pero ang pinaka-worrisome dito ay a PCIJ report has linked Kenneth Gatchalian,
20:01.0
the youngest brother of Senator Sherwin and former congressman now DSWD Secretary Gatchalian.
20:09.0
Yung kanilang Atlantic Dynamo Ltd. has a partnership agreement with Altay Philippines Minerals Corporation.
20:21.0
Pero sino majority owner dito? May stake yung Gatchalian?
20:27.0
May stake yung Gatchalian doon sa isang company na subcontractor ng Altay Philippines Minerals Corporation.
20:39.0
Subcontractor, anong ginagawa niya?
20:42.0
Sila po yung mag-operate. So normally ang mag-subcontractor po ay sila yung mayroong trabaho.
20:50.0
So literally the dirty work. Sila yung mag-uhukay, sila yung transport, sila yung hauling
20:57.0
and then they would contract other smaller corporations for the transport, the tracking, the security.
21:07.0
Pero yung owner po talaga is Altay Philippines.
21:11.0
We cannot link the Gatchalians to Altay Philippines pero yung si Kenneth is a chairperson ng Atlantic Dynamo
21:22.0
na mayroong subcontract with Altay Philippines Minerals Corporation.
21:27.0
But what is really worrisome, in the last two months, doon po na-monitor ng Living Laudato Si
21:36.0
the Colombianos Against Mining, Kenneth himself is going there and talking to the governor,
21:43.0
talking to the local government officials, facilitating the fast tracking and the entry
21:50.0
ng mga equipment para mapabilis yung kanilang digging at eventually yung kanilang transport and hauling.
21:58.0
And in fact kahit hanggang kaninang kahapon, noon kasi nakausap namin yung mga tao sa barricades,
22:05.0
yung local government officials, this morning, after nung violent dispersal, were calling up Kenneth Gatchalian
22:13.0
and asking, you need to settle, you need to fix this.
22:19.0
Hindi ko na alam kung ano yung naging sagot daw ni Kenneth but I have a conversation this morning
22:26.0
with barangay officials and people in the barricades saying,
22:30.0
sinabi namin at narinig namin yung ilang local government officials namin tinatawagan si Kenneth Gatchalian
22:37.0
at sinasabi itong sitwasyon.
22:39.0
So for us, that's a worrisome development that you have a politically entrenched family
22:47.0
who suddenly appeared in the last few months and facilitated the entry of mining operations
22:54.0
in Cebuyan Island which should not have happened in the first place.
22:58.0
Pero ito, gano'n baka destructive itong sinasabi?
23:01.0
Yung 6,000 metric tons ba yung binabanggit yung kanina?
23:04.0
Opo, yun yung initial.
23:05.0
Nickel ore na ba?
23:06.0
Opo, ang project nila talaga is nickel mining.
23:11.0
At sa pagkakalong ko sa project descriptions, on full operation mode, on an annual basis,
23:19.0
they plan to transport, meaning export, 500,000 metric tons on an annual basis.
23:28.0
Pag nag-full operations na po sila.
23:31.0
Okay. Kunsa ganyan, sir?
23:32.0
Up to 1 to 2 million metric tons at its peak.
23:36.0
Okay. At that rate, gano'n katagal bago, kumaga, mabalahura yung natural resources dyan?
23:44.0
For lack of a better term.
23:46.0
Well, ang kaibahan po kasi sa nickel mining, hindi ito katulad ng gold na palalim.
23:55.0
Ang gold mining tsaka copper, you have a big pit, palalim ng palalim.
24:00.0
Itong nickel po, palapad ng palapad ito.
24:03.0
Kasi surface lang ang nickel. It doesn't go as deep as gold or copper.
24:08.0
At ang kanilang yan is 1,500 hectares.
24:12.0
Dalawang parcels magkahiwalay.
24:14.0
Isang 1,150 and then isang nakahiwalay na around 450 hectares.
24:20.0
Now, pagka inilatag po kasi yan sa mapa, talagang lumalampas siya sa protected area.
24:26.0
Pumapasok siya talaga.
24:27.0
It's a bit hard to imagine 1,500 hectares.
24:34.0
Ang alam ko yung UP Sunken Garden, mga 4-5 hectares.
24:41.0
Yung UP Sunken Garden.
24:44.0
So we're thinking of a thousand magnitudes ng gano'n.
24:49.0
By the way, in the coming episodes, susubukin po natin kausapin naman yung mga gatchal yan.
24:57.0
Para madinig natin yung side nila rito.
25:00.0
Pero lumalabas dito, Kenneth Gatchal yan po yung binabanggit nyo.
25:03.0
Ito yung parang nakapronta dyan from the family.
25:07.0
Dito nga, ang argument kasi dyan ng iba mga sumusuporta sa mining.
25:12.0
Kasi alam naman natin yung shades and colors ng arguments dyan.
25:16.0
Talagang total ban on mining, iba naman open pit lang.
25:20.0
Di ba yung sinasabi naman? Hindi, meron naman responsible mining.
25:23.0
Dito ba, sa pag-aaral nyo, is there such a thing as responsible mining
25:28.0
that can be applied in the case of Cebuyan Island?
25:33.0
Categorically, Christian, no.
25:36.0
In the first place, if this company was really responsible
25:42.0
at talagang genuine na gusto niya mag-implement nung sinasabi nila ang responsible mining,
25:48.0
full disclosure and full compliance with all requirements of the mining operations
25:55.0
should have happened before sila nag-hukay at nag-transport.
26:00.0
Pero ang nangyayari ko dito, walang business permit.
26:04.0
The LGUs did not give a business permit to them.
26:08.0
Wala silang barangay clearance.
26:10.0
The barangay LGUs never issued an endorsement and a clearance for them.
26:14.0
Yung port na dadalhan nila nung nasa truck at dalagay sa barge,
26:21.0
the port itself, walang permit yan pag-construct ng port.
26:26.0
So there are so many violations here. Kaya galit na galit ang mga tao.
26:31.0
Okay. Teka, teka sir.
26:34.0
Assume na lahat ng binanggit niyo tama, yung pagkakalatag niyo ng premise.
26:37.0
Kung walang permit.
26:39.0
Bakit may mga polis dyan?
26:41.0
Well, ang alam namin...
26:43.0
Anong isipin ng polis dyan?
26:45.0
Sumakalaran mo ito galing sa grupo niyo ito, no?
26:47.0
I mean, anong purpose ang polis dyan?
26:49.0
Ang sinasabi daw is dahil this is the 11th day of the barricade na kasi, Christian.
26:55.0
Today is the 11th day.
26:57.0
So 10 days talagang hindi nakapasok dyan.
27:00.0
Apparently, this is Friday today.
27:02.0
I think nung Wednesday, there was an order na nagpadala ng polis
27:07.0
to maintain peace and order.
27:10.0
We, the provincial office.
27:12.0
Provincial PNP ang nagbaba ng order at sinabi to ensure and maintain the peace and order.
27:20.0
Kasi nga, one week na yung people's barricade dyan.
27:25.0
And apparently, nung kaninang umaga, nung konti na lang yung tao...
27:31.0
Kasi the barricade is preventing the entry of any trucks into the mine site para hindi talaga makapagkarga.
27:38.0
Apparently, kanina nung kokonti yung tao, between 7 to 8 a.m.,
27:42.0
doon pumeso na yung mga polis at binisperse yung kokoonteng tao.
27:48.0
And doon ngayon, with the intent na pinapalampasin yung truck.
27:52.0
Kasi nung nakalampas yung tatlong truck, umalis yung phalanx of polis, gumilid.
28:00.0
Tapos pinabalik...
28:02.0
Ito yung gusto ko linawin.
28:04.0
Again, yung line of questioning ko assumes na tama yung lahat na nilatag yung premise.
28:10.0
Of course, kailangan natin kausapan yung ibang involvement.
28:14.0
Pero yun, logically, kung pinapasak mo yung polis to keep the peace doon sa lugar na yun,
28:19.0
e bakit parang ang purpose nila dyan was to protect the mining company? Bakit ganon?
28:29.0
Kasi kung lahat ng permit wala, diba dapat napaka-powerful ng local government dyan?
28:33.0
Bawal pumaso kasi hindi pinayagan.
28:36.0
I don't think even DNR could force itself there kasi may local autonomy yan.
28:41.0
Exactly. And that is the reason.
28:43.0
Kasi the polis and the trucks came siguro mga Tuesday or Wednesday.
28:48.0
Since then, hindi sila makapagpakita ng mga permits from the barangay and the municipality
28:57.0
para mag-operate at makapasok to mga trucks.
29:01.0
Kaya hindi talaga sila makapasok.
29:03.0
And even the polis could not assert themselves na papasukin yung mga trucks.
29:08.0
Pero kaninang umaga, with no apparent reason,
29:11.0
nung kukunting tao, the polis closed in their ranks and forcibly pushed away yung mga kukunting tao sa barangay.
29:19.0
Now, here is the more suspicious part.
29:22.0
The barangay officials there wanted to file a blotter report
29:26.0
but the polis refused to accept the blotter report.
29:30.0
The local police station refused to accept the blotter report nung mga tao.
29:36.0
And yun nga the barangay official.
29:40.0
Well, they said the polis was involved.
29:43.0
They do not want to appear.
29:46.0
Siyempre baka naglugas ng kamay.
29:47.0
They didn't want to appear na they were not fair.
29:52.0
So sabi ko, bakit, yun na nga eh.
29:56.0
A blotter report should have been received and accepted.
30:01.0
Kasi kahit manakawang ka ng manok, kumakasira ka ng lamesa sa tindahan,
30:06.0
pwede mong ipa-blotter report ito pa na may nasaktan.
30:09.0
And they cannot hide na presumption of regularity ang nangyari.
30:13.0
People were hurt, dalawa.
30:16.0
So there is nothing regular about that incident.
30:19.0
Yung mga nasaktan ba kasama sa grupo nyo or local residents?
30:24.0
Ah, local residents po sila.
30:26.0
Na ka-alyado rin ng Alianza Tigilmina?
30:29.0
Yes, members po sila nung local organizations.
30:31.0
Yung local organizations ang member ng Alianza Tigilmina.
30:35.0
Yung nga yung naisip ko, I was trying to wrap my head around this.
30:39.0
Parang usually dapat yung police was there to commentate the peace.
30:43.0
Pero bakit ganon yung nangyari?
30:45.0
Eto pala, let's look at the big picture dito.
30:49.0
Alam natin yung naging masalimot na takbo ng policy ng nakaraadministrasyon pagdating sa mining.
30:53.0
Initially the former president talked tough against mining operations.
30:59.0
Pero alam natin ang nangyari later on.
31:01.0
Ngayon ba, this early sa Marcos Jr. administration,
31:06.0
Ano yung nakikita niyong policy pagdating sa pagmimina?
31:11.0
In written form, walang binago si Marcos Jr.
31:15.0
So we can take it as it is.
31:17.0
At face value, tinutuloy ni Marcos Jr. and his economic team kung ano yung iniwang latest policy ni Duterte.
31:28.0
Wala ng ban on open pit mine, wala ng moratorium on mining applications,
31:35.0
and yung pinakahuli, lahat ng suspension and closure orders ni Gina Lopez in 2017, lifted na lahat yun.
31:44.0
So most of the safeguards that were put in place in the first two years ni Duterte are gone now.
31:51.0
Nag-totally 180 degrees si Duterte in the last one year of his term.
31:57.0
So it's a rollercoaster ride from 2016 hanggang hindi ma-confirm si Gina Lopez up to the last six to eight months ni Duterte.
32:07.0
Totally, mining is front and center again ng economic program.
32:12.0
So in paper, patuloy pa rin yan with Marcos Jr.
32:16.0
But here's the more scary part.
32:18.0
You have people na nasa circle of influence, sphere of influence ni Marcos,
32:26.0
who are very, very much publicly pro-mining.
32:31.0
In the mining industry.
32:33.0
You have the Speaker of the House, na Kasin niya, and they are the family,
32:37.0
the Romualdez family own Benguet Mines.
32:40.0
And you have several senators in powerful committees in the Senate
32:49.0
who are beneficial owners of mining companies.
32:53.0
You have the Villars, the Cayetanos themselves do not own mining,
32:58.0
but they are very, very close to Nickel Asia Corporations and the Zamoras.
33:03.0
And you have the Zamora in the Congress as well.
33:06.0
So in effect, you have a legislative leadership that will not pass any new legislative reforms on the mining industry.
33:20.0
And you have a Speaker of the House who is very, very close to the President
33:26.0
who is a beneficial owner of a mining company.
33:31.0
And so we suspect na the economic team, you have NEDA, DOF, and DBM,
33:37.0
ang latest pronouncement kasi nila, they want mining to be an economic driver post-pandemic.
33:44.0
So nakikita nila yung mining na magdadala ng revenues, jobs, investments, which is not true
33:51.0
when you take a look at historical economic data.
33:55.0
At the end of the day, ginamit pa na yung mining, kikitay daw sa mining,
34:00.0
gagamitin pa sa maharlika investment fund, which is totally out of this world.
34:05.0
Nariyanas ko parang naif or ang bobo ng tanong ko. Ano ba yung mining policy under the Marcos administration?
34:14.0
Pero common knowledge naman kasi yun.
34:16.0
That is a very important question. And that is something na kailangan nating i-expose it.
34:22.0
Oo nga eh. Actually, napakasalimutan ang discussion nito kung gusto natin pag-usapan.
34:26.0
The interplay between politics and business.
34:30.0
Yung mga politiko na, yung mga negosyante na pumapasok sa politika,
34:36.0
not because they wanted to serve or siguro gusto mag-serve pero ano yun,
34:40.0
second or third, to protect the business.
34:45.0
Nakikita natin yan.
34:47.0
Well noon, Christian, nakikita natin yan sa local politics.
34:52.0
You have people running for paranggay, mayor and governor because they have interest.
34:58.0
Now, we are seeing it more blatant. Congress and Senate.
35:03.0
Kasi pati yung laws, sisiguraduhin na maprotectahan yung kanilang interest.
35:09.0
Yan yung tinatawag sa mga nanonood at nakikinig sa atin. Yan po yung tinatawag na elite at regulatory capture.
35:19.0
Ang negosyo mo, nasa mining ka, nasa Congress ka rin. So meron kang posisyon, nasa posisyon ka to influence policy na makikinabang yung sektor mo.
35:29.0
O kaya nasa real estate business ka, gusto mo taglang mag-convert sa katutak na lupa para gawin mong subdivision,
35:35.0
nasa legislation ka rin.
35:37.0
Hindi mo ipapasa ang National Land Use Act.
35:41.0
Oo. More than 20 years na yan yung National Land Use Plan.
35:46.0
Kasi pagka may National Land Use Act na, makukonstrain ngayon yung ability mo to convert agricultural lands into residential or industrial lands.
35:57.0
Correct me if I'm wrong, in so many words, in simple words, yung National Land Use Plan na yan or Act,
36:04.0
that is meant to actually make more efficient use and to protect yung ating mga lupa para hindi naman na takeover ng kusino-sino na lang.
36:15.0
The law proposes we should rationally identify and distribute the decision kung ano ang appropriate na gamit ng lupa.
36:27.0
Obviously, hindi lahat ng buong Pilipinas ay pwedeng gawing residential lang.
36:33.0
In the same way na hindi buong Pilipinas ay dapat commercial or industrial.
36:38.0
There has to be a rational way para tignan, pag-usapan, suriin at disisyonan hanggang ilang bang hektarya ang pwede sa gamit na ito.
36:51.0
But yung untold story kasi yan, that law means may mga lugar sa Pilipinas na hindi natin gagawin because may gamit siya for food,
37:02.0
for recreation or para sa natural well-being natin.
37:06.0
In the same way that we declare certain areas as protected.
37:09.0
Dahil deep inside alam natin yan ang gamit niyan.
37:13.0
Sisiguraduhin niya na may malinis na hangin, may malinis na tubig or in our reality now Christian,
37:20.0
kailangan nating iprotect ang mga gubat para hindi dumami ang baha at landslide at erosion
37:26.0
at hindi na maulit ang mga Odette, ang Kondoy, at Pablo, at Sendong, at Yolanda.
37:32.0
Ang mga butante rin hindi naman na i-establish ang connection na yan.
37:37.0
At least consistently. Kailangan laging pinapaalala.
37:40.0
Kasi itong mga politiko mga walang hiyang ito.
37:43.0
Alam nyo po yan, payaman ang payaman yan.
37:47.0
They don't look at the big picture.
37:49.0
They look at the picture that concerns their businesses and their own well-being.
37:53.0
Kung tumutulong man sila siguro here and there, those are crumbs.
37:59.0
Mga mumu. Compare to what they've been gobbling up in terms of resources.
38:08.0
In the long term, binaha kayo, hindi naman nila masisi.
38:13.0
Si congressman kasi, si senator kasi talaga winalanghia yung policy pagdating dito sa tamang paggamit ng lupain.
38:20.0
Hindi naman natin nakoconnect yan. At least napapagusapan natin dito sa media.
38:24.0
Sa mainstream hindi napapagusapan ito.
38:29.0
You know, Christian, yung nadodocument namin in the last three years,
38:34.0
dahil lumalala na ngayong climate change, abnormal na yung ulan.
38:38.0
Abnormal yung dami ng ulan or minsan init.
38:42.0
Pero in areas na may mining, yung incidents ng flooding, landslide, erosion, saka yung spillover.
38:51.0
Kasi may mga pond yung mga mining. Abnormal ang precipitation.
38:56.0
That is why sobra sa normal yung risk.
39:00.0
Binabaha naman dati yung karaga pero not as worse in the last two years.
39:06.0
Itong Brooks Point sa Palawan, hindi ito binabaha.
39:11.0
Pero ngayon binaha dahil yung illegal logging at yung mining pinapasok since last year.
39:19.0
Itong Dedipio sa Nueva Vizcaya, talaga mga bundok yan.
39:24.0
Pero dahil kinalbumo yung natural vegetation at ngayon ano na siya,
39:29.0
puro kongkreto na at mga bato na ng ore na tinapon,
39:33.0
pag bumaha yung nag-spillover sa highway yung kanilang tailings.
39:37.0
Alam mo boss JB, ang problema dyan, madalas mga seizures dyan, Diyos eh.
39:42.0
Sabihin lagi, lack of God eh.
39:45.0
Pero kagagawa niya ng mga walang hiya sa pamahalaan at sa negosyo.
39:51.0
Ganun na kasi yan.
39:52.0
I think, and you know, I will, ito hindi ako takot na sabihin ito sa mining industry.
39:59.0
Ang kakapal ng mukha niya na nasabihin niyo, you are doing social development and you are investing back.
40:06.0
Tanungin ko kayo ngayon, wala nga kayong climate change impact analysis sa inyong mga operational plan.
40:14.0
Nung ginawa ang feasibility study ng mga mining projects na nag-cooperate ngayon,
40:20.0
they were never required to produce a climate change.
40:24.0
Wala silang flood hazard analysis, wala silang landslide and erosion analysis,
40:30.0
bulag sa climate change impacts.
40:33.0
Lalahating ko na lahat ng mining projects ngayon,
40:37.0
hindi yan nag-undergo ng climate change analysis or risk assessment.
40:41.0
Because they were all given more than 20 years ago.
40:44.0
At yung DRR and Climate Change Act natin is barely 10 years old.
40:49.0
So hindi sila, pero yan yung realidad ngayon.
40:54.0
Kung magmimina ka, you are doubling or tripling the risk na haharapin nandoon sa gilid ng inyong mining operations.
41:04.0
And that is based on science.
41:07.0
And that is a fact na wala silang, hindi sila ne-require noon.
41:12.0
At ngayon tayo ang magbabayad sa pagharap ng mga risk at mga hazards na yan.
41:18.0
In the meantime, nga nga tayo lahat.
41:20.0
JB, napakaganda ng ating panayam, napakaganda ng mga sinasabi nyo.
41:25.0
Ulitin natin ito para mas mamulat natin ang ating mga kababayan.
41:29.0
Thank you very much Christian.
41:31.0
This is a very important platform and next time talagang mas importante mapakinggan natin yung mga locals.
41:38.0
Yan yung buhay na karanasan.
41:40.0
Sayang lang hindi nakaalis sa kanyang urgent meeting si Rodney.
41:45.0
Hindi, gagawin natin.
41:47.0
JB, face-to-face tayo.
41:49.0
Magre-record tayo ng episode.
41:52.0
Nandun tayo sa site para makikita natin.
41:56.0
Kasi kailangan talagang gisigin yung mga mamayan.
41:58.0
Kasi yung mga politiko at negosyanteng walang hiya.
42:01.0
Di naman tulog yan, matagal nang gising yan.
42:04.0
Pero hindi pinapansin yung ano.
42:06.0
To be honest Christian, these kinds of public discussion and exposure are necessary.
42:11.0
We know in the last 24 hours, ito na lang last 12 hours, ang daming reaction from the public and the social media.
42:20.0
And truth be told, nararamdaman namin na DNR is rattled, some DILG officials are concerned,
42:29.0
and I suspect even the mining company themselves are seriously reflecting tonight.
42:36.0
Dahil hindi nalakalain yung backlash na ito.
42:39.0
So this is a very important platform and kahit mula tayo sa mainstream media,
42:44.0
di namin kami makapaniwala sa interaction and engagement sa Facebook and sa Twitter.
42:50.0
And these kinds of online discussion and podcast are very important medium lalo na sa generation na ito.
42:57.0
Tsaka nakalive tayo, hindi ito recorded.
43:00.0
Maganda kayo reactions dito.
43:02.0
Nga pala, ito nga, sayang, mukha nasa kalagitan pa na meeting si Rodney.
43:07.0
Nakita ko yung post niya, inaano pa siya, yung tinotroll pa siya.
43:11.0
Grabe, talagang organized.
43:15.0
Well, talagang we were anticipating na mayroon din return back yung mga social media.
43:23.0
But we were very clear.
43:25.0
Wala nung nangyari yung dispersal kanina hanggang kaninang mid-afternoon.
43:30.0
We made it clear.
43:31.0
We are firm in our stand but we are not going to be violent.
43:36.0
Whether physical or online, we will not resort to violent means or trolling.
43:43.0
We know na tama yung pinaninindigan ng mga Tagasibuyan and we stand by the truth na pinaninindigan nila.
43:50.0
Kaya we will never resort to violence doon sa barricades or online.
43:58.0
Mr. JB Garganera, maraming maraming salamat for taking time to join us.
44:03.0
Alam ko short notice yung aking invitation.
44:06.0
Pasensya ka na ha.
44:07.0
Pero maraming maraming salamat sa iyo sa pagpagsama dito sa ating programa ngayong gabi.
44:13.0
Thank you very much.
44:14.0
It was a pleasure always to have a conversation with you, Christian.
44:19.0
Sige, salamat sir.
44:23.0
Salamat sa lahat.
44:24.0
Yan po isa sa mga goals natin dito sa programa to.
44:27.0
Patukin yung mga nagtatago sa mga pintuan nila tapos gisingin yung kamalayan natin lahat dito.
44:36.0
Alam niyo po kasi talagang nakaka-frustrate yung issues ng environment.
44:40.0
Alam natin na bababo yung ating kalikasan kahit anong palusot pa yung gawin ng iba,
44:45.0
eh kukulang sa action yung ating mga inihalal sa pamahalaan.
44:51.0
Yung sinasabi ko dati pa, not just during the previous election.
44:55.0
Ito yung frustration ko eh.
44:57.0
Dahil nga napaka-problematic ng ating sistema ng politika, eleksyon at demokrasya dito sa Pilipinas.
45:04.0
Ang hirap mag-establish ng connection.
45:07.0
Kunwari, sa ilang nakakaalam, doon sa background ng ilang mga politiko,
45:13.0
alam natin walang hiya.
45:14.0
Alam natin maraming pinaprotekta ang pansariling interes.
45:18.0
Pero magugulat ka, sila yung nananalo.
45:20.0
Pare-pareho mga pangalan.
45:22.0
Tapos, miski panalan na sila, tuloy pa rin yung ligaya, yung pang-aabuso nila,
45:29.0
tapos merong direct ng efekto sa mga mama yan, hindi pa rin sila nasisisi.
45:35.0
Kasi nga yung mga putante, parang nagogoyo eh, no?
45:39.0
Parang nahihirapan silang establish yung connection, yung cause and effect.
45:45.0
Etong walang hiyang politiko na ito na pinaprotekta ang negosyo, nanalo, pinagkatiwalaan ko, dahil mukhang okay naman,
45:53.0
eh siya rin pala yung nagiging cause ng kasiraan ng livelihood, ng kabuhayan,
46:00.0
ng buhay mismo ng ilang mga o na maraming mga Pilipino.
46:04.0
Eh wala eh, hindi nga tayo umabot doon sa realization na yun.
46:08.0
Kaya nagiging vicious cycle.
46:10.0
Ang tanong, ano bang dapat gawin?
46:14.0
Okay, magtulong-tulungan natin ito.
46:17.0
Okay, kaya nakakatulong mga ganitong programa, lalo kung hindi siya masyado napapagusapan sa mainstream, no?
46:23.0
Dahil alam natin yung ibang mainstream organizations, meron din naman silang hawak din ng mga oligarchs naman yan, di ba?
46:31.0
So talaga meron din silang mga sinisi, no? Okay?
46:35.0
Don't fool yourselves, no? Let's not kid ourselves.
46:39.0
When you talk about mainstream news organizations, tingnan nyo yung mga nagpapatakbo dyan, mga negosyante.
46:44.0
Yung mga negosyante yan, nakikialam din sila rin sa news operations, di ba? Kahit sabihin nilang hindi.
46:50.0
Kung yung mga nakakalusot ng mga honest to goodness reports, that's because ipinaglalaban nito ng mga journalists doon sa mga networks na yun at mga news organizations.
47:00.0
Pero ordinarily, kung walang ganung paglaban, edi magiging ano lang, magagamit lang yun yung news organization para doon sa negosyo nung may-ari.
47:09.0
Yun. Truth lang po tayo rito. Truth bombs.
47:13.0
Okay. Maraming salamat po, Friday, at enjoy your weekend. Maraming maraming salamat po sa mga tumangkilik sa atin.
47:20.0
Pasensya na kayo, hindi na po nakaabot si Rodney. We will try to get him again next week kasi gusto po nating madinig.
47:26.0
Kaya nakikapagpulo ngayon sa mga local officials sa Cebuyan Island para hindi pa tayo na-update dito. Tututukan po natin itong issue nito.
47:34.0
Okay. Maraming maraming salamat po and sorry sa mga hindi po natin nabati. Gutom na ko.
47:41.0
Next week, kita-kita po tayo sa Lunes dito po ulit sa Facts Verse.
