BACOLOD CITY DECLARATION SUPPORTING THE CAUSE OF SMALL FAMILY FARMERS IN CALUYA,
ANTIQUE AGAINST MINING EXPANSION AND DESTRUCTION OF LIVELIHOODS AND BIODIVERSITY
WE, Peoples' Organizations (POs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) and members of the
Regional Consultative Group of the Foundation of Philippine Environment in the Visayas Region,
gathered on March 12-13 in Bacolod City;
AWARE of the plight of over 4,000 households of small-scale seaweeds, rice and coconut farmers and
fishers and of the rich biodiversity in the nine-island municipality of Caluya, Antique, home to at least 33
species of mangroves, thriving seagrass beds, and marine species as well as a bustling annual 400-million
Php seaweeds industry;
DEEPLY CONCERNED about the serious threat to the municipality's biodiversity and small family farming
livelihoods posed by the aggressive coal mining expansion of Semirara Mining Corporation (SMC) from
5,000 hectares to a possible 12,500 hectares, and now from Barangay Semirara to a potential new site in
Barangay Tinogboc, regrettably assisted no less by the local government of Caluya, which is supposed
to protect the citizens and enforce the rule of law;
ANGERED by the most recent bulldozing ordered by the LGU of Caluya of five -hectare coconut and fruit
trees and riceland being tilled for more than a generation by small farmers in Sitio Poocan in Brgy
Tinogboc and the arrest on February 28, 2014 of Sabang-Poocan Farmers and Fishers Association
(SAPOFFA) leader, Bernard Magdaug, and Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka
(PAKISAMA) volunteer, Mark Kato, both done without due process, in their efforts to assist the
affected farmers collectively and non-violently stop the bulldozer;
CALL on:
the Chair of the Commission on Human Rights to order expeditious completion of her office's
investigation on the Caluya arrest and bulldozing event, to publish its report, and to help prosecute
violators of civil, political, economic, and cultural rights especially of the affected small family farmers;
the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government to complete his office's
investigation to determine accountability of the Municipal Mayor, the town officials, and the police
personnel involved in the above-mentioned illegal arrest and bulldozing as well as associated divestment
of donated land by the Municipality to faclitate the forced relocation of Sitio Sabang and the sale of said
land to the company; and
the Secretaries of the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR), Agriculture, and the Head of Philippine Coconut Authority to order an investigation to
determine land classification of the Caluya municipality, to file appropriate charges to those who
bulldozed the trees, including coconuts, without required permits, and to provide appropriate land
tenure instruments in recognition to earned vested rights of claimant farmers.
Finally, we call on our colleagues in civil society, including media, academe, and churches both locally
and internationally especially in celebration of this year's United Nations-declared International Year
of Family Farming, to aggressively support in any way we can, including the broad dissemination of the
Caluya farmers story in written and audio/visual forms, to ensure their eventual successful defence of
their sustainable seaweeds and farming livelihoods and biodiversity.
Your Most Caring Partner in the FM Band
Monday, March 24, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Villa Ziga, Igsoro, Bugasong soon to Unleash Eco-tourism Opportunities
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