30 September 2020
Dear friends, partners in development,
Warm greetings! In recent months, we’ve been witnesses to the worsening human rights situation of indigenous peoples (IP) in the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions caused by quarantine measures, civil society organizations (CSOs), private business turned to online platforms to continually inform the public about the situation and issues of IPs, and still advocate for their rights despite the challenges.
The implementation of destructive large-scale infrastructure projects under the government’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) infrastructure program has not stopped despite the ongoing health emergency. The New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Low Dam project that will potentially destroy the environment and dislocate Dumagat and Remontado communities in Rizal and Quezon continues despite the incomplete and manipulated FPIC process by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). The latest Commission on Audit (COA) report affirms this fact.
In this regard, the Network Opposed to Kaliwa, Kanan and Laiban Dams in cooperation with the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights (TFIP) would like to invite you to an online public forum “Kaliwa Low Dam: Kasalukuyang kalagayan at mga maka-kalikasang alternatibo”, on October 6, 2020 at 10AM to 12PM via the Zoom platform.
The date is significant as it marks the second year since the founding of the NO to NKKLD. This forum will also be the second part of TFIP’s Tudtulan Series which will include webinars and other online activities related to indigenous peoples’ rights.
The forum aims to share updates from communities in relation to the NCWS-Kaliwa Low Dam project. It also aims to discuss the reports from CoA, CHR and the petition to the Supreme Court regarding the onerous loan with the Chinese government to fund this project. More importantly, the network will discuss actions from this point while there is a pandemic and beyond which will include legal remedies, collective actions and lobbying for ecologically sustainable alternatives.
Please confirm your attendance by registering at https://forms.gle/KBNxc61BWFBFA8mdA. Should you have questions or clarifications, kindly contact tfip@philtfip.org, or Tyrone Beyer at 0949-8868567; email ibonfoundation.research@gmail.com or call/SMS 09084632860.
We look forward to your positive response and hope to have you with us in our advocacy for sustainable use of the environment for genuinely ecologically sustainable economic development and in upholding IP rights, and people’s welfare.
For NO to Kaliwa, Kanan, Laiban Dams,
(signed) Kriza Leaño
UCCP-IDPIP Southern Tagalog, NO to KKLD Co-convenor
(signed) Teddy Casińo
Water for the People Network, NO to KKLD Co-convenor
(signed) Jill Cariño
Executive Director, Philippine Task Force Indigenous People’s Rights
NO to KKLD Co-convenor
