Panaghiusa commends Sangguniang Bayan of Infanta for opposing Kaliwa Dam; urges LGUs, agencies, Marcos Jr. to follow

[TAGALOG] Panaghiusa kinikilala ang Sangguniang Bayan ng Infanta sa pagtutol sa Kaliwa Dam; nananawagan sa mga LGU, ahensya, at kay Marcos Jr. na tumugon

Panaghiusa commends Mayor LA Ruanto, Vice Mayor Mannie America, and the Sangguniang Bayan of Infanta, Quezon, for taking a clear and decisive stand against the Kaliwa Dam project. Their recent resolution rejecting the dam is a vital and timely affirmation of the people’s will, especially the longstanding resistance of the Dumagat, other affected communities, and their allies to protect ancestral lands and the Sierra Madre.

Photo from Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong mamamayan ng Pilipinas.

This echoes decades of Indigenous-led struggle to uphold land rights, safeguard critical ecosystems, and oppose projects imposed without free, prior, and informed consent. It affirms key demands in the 1Sambubungan Indigenous Peoples’ Agenda, particularly on ancestral domain, environmental protection, and participatory and rights-based governance.

We urge other local government units, national agencies, and the Marcos Jr. administration to follow: stop the Kaliwa Dam project and respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and affected communities.

This call is even more urgent amid the typhoon devastating parts of the Philippines. Once again, the Sierra Madre, our  “natural shield” against storms, is lessening the storm’s impact. Yet, this same mountain range is under threat from the Kaliwa Dam. The communities defending it, particularly Indigenous Peoples, are among the most exposed to the compounded impacts of militarization, displacement, and climate-induced disasters.

As typhoons become more intense and frequent, the Marcos Jr. regime must be held accountable not only for its inaction on climate risk reduction but for endangering the very ecosystems and communities that protect us all. Billions continue to be funneled into destructive infrastructure and militarization, while basic services, disaster preparedness, and Indigenous-led conservation efforts remain grossly underfunded.

We demand accountability. We demand a shift in priorities.

Protect ancestral lands. Uphold Indigenous rights. Defend the Sierra Madre. Stop the Kaliwa Dam project. Hold the Marcos Jr. regime accountable.

#DefendAncestralLands 

Reference:

Rikki Mae Gono

National Coordinator

Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights