Source: DurianBurgDavao
April 25, 2010
Davao City, April 22 — 118 torches were lit around the Freedom Park in a tribute to the nation’s 118 ethnolinguistic tribes who serve as the guardians and stewards of the Earth.
In commemoration of the 40th Earth Day, more than 118 lumads clad in their traditional attire together with environmental advocates will hold a symbolic action for unity in advancing stronger environmental protection.
KATRIBU Partylist and PANALIPDAN (Defend!) unveiled a 6-foot tall billboard which enumerates their ten major fighting calls for environmental defense.
“This environmental agenda highlights our calls to reclaim our environmental rights, our human rights amidst the worsening ruin and exploitation of the environment. This is our statement against development aggression which has spawned tragedies after tragedies, deprived us of the fruits of our land, and caused the wanton landlessness and poverty that majority of lumads and poor Filipinos are suffering from,” said Diolito Diarog, coordinator for KATRIBU Davao City.
As a symbolic affirmation of their commitment to protect Mother Earth, lumad leaders and environmental advocates signed and marked their handprints on the billboard.
The agenda primarily calls for the stop of large-scale corporate mining , energy, logging and other destructive projects which shall be pursued by KATRIBU and its support groups in the local and national policy-making venues. The billboard shall be transferred from different schools in Davao Region as part of Katribu’s advocacy and education campaigns.
The multicultural gathering peaked in a torch parade to show the unity of sectors for environmental defense.
Other groups who participated in the activity were KADUMAHAN, SAGIP, Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. (MISFI), Kabiba, Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) and other political groups such as the Satur Ocampo for Senator Movement, Liza Maza for Senator Movement and other individual environmentalists.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
NEWS: Illegal loggers behind Camangyan murder
Source: DurianBurgDavao
August 18, 2010
Illegal loggers were behind the killing of broadcaster Desidario Camangyan, according to an environmental activist.
Benedictine Sister Stella Matutina said the 52-year old Camangyan was an anti-logging activist and was killed despite wielding sort of influence being a broadcast journalist.
This means, according to Matutina, that environmental activists in Davao Oriental could expect a similar bloody consequence.
Camangyan, noted for his anti-logging commentaries over radio station Sunrise FM in Mati City, was gunned down while hosting a singing contest in Mabini, Davao Oriental.
Matutina of pro-environment non-governmental organization Panalipdan said the Camangyan killing should lead environmentalists to rethink their battle to stop illegal logging and mining activities in the province.
Matutina, like other activists in the province, herself has received death threats for her environmental campaign.
Illegal logging is rampant in the province and object of a government campaign. On September 10 last year, the provincial environment officer, Eulogio Baltazar, was shot dead at a restaurant in Mati City.
But while she said that environmental activists should be worried about their safety, she said keeping their watch down could mean illegal loggers and miners would be emboldened to further violate the environment.
Police have yet to establish the motive behind the killing, but Davao Regional Police spokesman Supt. Querubin Manalang said Camangyan’s murder could have been due to his commentaries against illegal logging and mining.
We are also looking at the political angle, he said.
August 18, 2010
Illegal loggers were behind the killing of broadcaster Desidario Camangyan, according to an environmental activist.
Benedictine Sister Stella Matutina said the 52-year old Camangyan was an anti-logging activist and was killed despite wielding sort of influence being a broadcast journalist.
This means, according to Matutina, that environmental activists in Davao Oriental could expect a similar bloody consequence.
Camangyan, noted for his anti-logging commentaries over radio station Sunrise FM in Mati City, was gunned down while hosting a singing contest in Mabini, Davao Oriental.
Matutina of pro-environment non-governmental organization Panalipdan said the Camangyan killing should lead environmentalists to rethink their battle to stop illegal logging and mining activities in the province.
Matutina, like other activists in the province, herself has received death threats for her environmental campaign.
Illegal logging is rampant in the province and object of a government campaign. On September 10 last year, the provincial environment officer, Eulogio Baltazar, was shot dead at a restaurant in Mati City.
But while she said that environmental activists should be worried about their safety, she said keeping their watch down could mean illegal loggers and miners would be emboldened to further violate the environment.
Police have yet to establish the motive behind the killing, but Davao Regional Police spokesman Supt. Querubin Manalang said Camangyan’s murder could have been due to his commentaries against illegal logging and mining.
We are also looking at the political angle, he said.
NEWS: Mining firm rapped for rape of DavOr forests
Source: DurianBurgDavao
August 18, 2010
Environmental rights network PANALIPDAN Davao Oriental Chapter demanded that commercial logging in Davao Oriental be permanently stopped and that PhilYoubang Mining Corporation, a Chineese Mining Firm, be penalized for its brazen logging operations in Brgy Macambol in Mati.
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In a fact finding mission in Sitio Sopsopon, Brgy Macambol in Mati town last June 9, PANALIPDAN – DavOr found out that Philippine Youbang Mining Corp. which has a mining permit to mine 1,000 has in Mati has also been doing extensive logging operations in the area.
Sr. Stella Matutina, osb, spokesperson of Panalipdan Davao Oriental said, “Philyoubang’s logging operations are destructive to the environment. Mostly, they cut Magkuno or iron wood, Banile and other premium species like Tangile. They cut century-old wood and completely uproot the whole tree including the stumps. From what was seen in their logdeck, more than 1000 cubic meters already have been cut and harvested by this company.”
The fact finding mission team also observed that Philyoubang’s operations has damaged second growth trees and other species in Sitio Sopsopon, Brgy Macambol which is located between two protected areas — Pujada Bay Protected Seascape and Mt. Hamiguitan Range, a government – declared “wildlife sanctuary” based on Republic Act No. 9303 or the Mt. Hamiguitan Range and Wildlife Sanctuary Act.
PANALIPDAN hence fears that Philyoubangs logging and consequently, mining operations will cause severe damage to these sanctuaries and their resident species.
For instance, Mt. Hamiguitan hosts around four hundred (400) hectares of “pygmy forests”, exotic plants and wild animals. Rattan, timber and non-timber products which are the sources of community livelihood is also abundant here.
Philyoubang claims to hold a Private Land Timber Permit which was awarded to it by the Regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). However, PANALIPDAN SMR insists that this permit should never have been given at all due to the critical location of Brgy Macambol.
Francis Morales of PANALIPDAN Southern Mindanao also lashed at the DENR for allowing and giving the company ‘s permit to mine the area.
“Along with the permit to mine the area, mining companies are also given timber rights. Its part of the whole destructive cycle of large scale mining. They have to shave off the mountains to be mined so this doubles their earnings,” said Morales.
August 18, 2010
Environmental rights network PANALIPDAN Davao Oriental Chapter demanded that commercial logging in Davao Oriental be permanently stopped and that PhilYoubang Mining Corporation, a Chineese Mining Firm, be penalized for its brazen logging operations in Brgy Macambol in Mati.
.
In a fact finding mission in Sitio Sopsopon, Brgy Macambol in Mati town last June 9, PANALIPDAN – DavOr found out that Philippine Youbang Mining Corp. which has a mining permit to mine 1,000 has in Mati has also been doing extensive logging operations in the area.
Sr. Stella Matutina, osb, spokesperson of Panalipdan Davao Oriental said, “Philyoubang’s logging operations are destructive to the environment. Mostly, they cut Magkuno or iron wood, Banile and other premium species like Tangile. They cut century-old wood and completely uproot the whole tree including the stumps. From what was seen in their logdeck, more than 1000 cubic meters already have been cut and harvested by this company.”
The fact finding mission team also observed that Philyoubang’s operations has damaged second growth trees and other species in Sitio Sopsopon, Brgy Macambol which is located between two protected areas — Pujada Bay Protected Seascape and Mt. Hamiguitan Range, a government – declared “wildlife sanctuary” based on Republic Act No. 9303 or the Mt. Hamiguitan Range and Wildlife Sanctuary Act.
PANALIPDAN hence fears that Philyoubangs logging and consequently, mining operations will cause severe damage to these sanctuaries and their resident species.
For instance, Mt. Hamiguitan hosts around four hundred (400) hectares of “pygmy forests”, exotic plants and wild animals. Rattan, timber and non-timber products which are the sources of community livelihood is also abundant here.
Philyoubang claims to hold a Private Land Timber Permit which was awarded to it by the Regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). However, PANALIPDAN SMR insists that this permit should never have been given at all due to the critical location of Brgy Macambol.
Francis Morales of PANALIPDAN Southern Mindanao also lashed at the DENR for allowing and giving the company ‘s permit to mine the area.
“Along with the permit to mine the area, mining companies are also given timber rights. Its part of the whole destructive cycle of large scale mining. They have to shave off the mountains to be mined so this doubles their earnings,” said Morales.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
PHOTO: Small scale miners oppose plans to bid out 729 hectares in Diwalwal
Francis Morales, spokesperson of Panalipdan in Southern Mindanao, talks to 671 small scale miners during the first barangay assembly of small scale miners' group Nagkahiusang Katawhan sa Diwalwal on Mt. Diwata on June 22. Text and Photos by Jose Hernani, Davao Today
View more photos on Davao Today.
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