Protection of Mount Pinukis gained supports

By JONG CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOSUR - The move to protect Mount Pinukis is gaining support with the signing of a covenant by concerned stakeholders during the “Panaw-Sinati

uban sa Kabuhatan” (Walk-experience of Creation) last week.

Mount Pinukis, which has a height of 1,562 meters above sea level, is located in the municipality of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur.

The signatories are representatives from the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace; Civil Society Organizations (CSO); Local Government Units; National Government Agencies; police, military; and, other environmental groups that supports the move to protect Mount Pinukis.

Prior to the signing of the covenant, the signatories and more than 1,000 people gathered in front of San Jose Parish Church in Pagadian City and travelled in convoy to Barangay Lison Valley for the PANAW as part of the culmination in the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace and also of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Officials and residents welcomed them when the convoy of participants from the different barangays of Pagadian City and municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur arrived in Lison Valley.

There, the participants have seen for themselves the actual destructions done by the illegal loggers and small scale mining operations to Mount Pinukis.

Subanen Tribal Chieftain Norberto Tilao said the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recently approved the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) applications of five of the 42 mining firms that applied for MPSA.

However, Tilao said they cannot start mining operations brought about by the strong resistance of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the community due to the non-issuance of Free and Prior Informed Consent from the tribal leaders as mandated under Republic Act 8371 otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA Law).

“I did not see any development in mining operation as claimed by the pro-mining people. The church had already issued a statement expressing objection to any form of mining operations because it will only destroy the life of the people,” Interfaith convenor Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar said.

“The people cannot exist without the environment but the environment will exit without the people,” Cabajar added.

PANAW organizer Fr. Roi Ramos expressed hopes that President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III will listen to the clamor to protect Mount Pinukis.

Mount Pinukis is identified as the only remaining source of water that runs through the vie rivers that irrigates at least 90,000 hectares of rice field in the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and parts of Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte.