Interfaith recommends for the Protection of Watershed in Zamboanga Peninsula

Part of SOLAR NEWS Cebuano on December 5, 2013 simultaneously aired at free Television Channel RPN nationwide and http://www.solarnews.ph/ every 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

Please click the link below to watch.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oywZGpvPfi0

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOSUR (PAGADIAN Frontline News/Sunday-December 8, 2013) – The Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace recommended to the local and national government  officials for the protection of Watershed in Zamboanga Peninsula in Southern Philippines, this is their press statement during the press conference on friday at Anastacia Convention Hall in Pagadian City.

The press conference was attended by the leaders of different environmentalist groups and members of Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace in Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur.

Rudy Arpon from the environmentalist group of Social Action Center in Pagadian City said that their statement was the result of series of consultations conducted from the Tri-people and Civil Society Organization (CSO) in Zamboanga Peninsula that the watershed area in Zamboanga Peninsula is already endangered after facing threat we need protection. 

Rudy Arpon from Social Action Center

(Photo by Jong Cadion)

The watershed referred by the Interfaith is the Mt. Pinukis with the height of 1,562 meters above sea level located in the municipality of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur that supplies the waters of 5 rivers that irrigated at least 90 thousand hectares of Rice-land from 5 provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, part of Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte.

These are the 5 rivers that benefited waters from Mt. Pinukis, Labangan River that supplies also water to the irrigated Rice-land of Eastern part of Zamboanga del Sur flowing toward Yllana Bay, Dipolo River supplies the irrigated Rice-land of Salug Valley area, the northern part of Zamboanga del Sur toward the Panguil Bay of Misamis Occidental and part of Lanao del Norte, Bisoangan River supplies the irrigation of western portion of Zamboanga del Sur and eastern part of Zamboanga Sibugay flowing towards Dumanguillas Bay while Sibugay River supplies irrigated Rice-land of Zamboanga Sibugay flowing toward Sibugay Bay and Ecuan River supplies also irrigated Rice-land of south-west portion of Zamboanga del Norte toward Sindangan Bay.

According to Edwin Quiñones of from Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC-KsK), Mt. Pinukis is identified as the different wildlife and endangered species, the source of foods in Zamboanga Peninsula and a very rich in Natural and Mineral Resources. 

Edwin Quiñones from LRC-KsK (Photo by Jong Cadion)

Two years ago, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) approved the Mineral Permit Sharing Agreement (MPSA) to 5 mining companies out of 42 mining applicants but because of the strong resistance of Indigenous People (IPs) Subanen Tribes and the community against mining operations, said mining firm had filed the case in court against them.

Subanen Tribal Chieftain Norberto Tilao also said (Photo by JC)

“These 5 mining companies of Deo Technic-Gami, Perum 168, Sar-Stone, Valor Mining and A-Dynasty cannot start their operations due to none compliance of Free and Prior Informed Consent from the Tribal leaders in the area of Mt Pinukis as mandated in the Republic Act 8371 otherwise known as ‘The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA Law)’,” Subanen Tribal Chieftain Norberto Tilao also said.

 

Participants from the multi-sector during the press conference

(Photo by Jong Cadion)