Destruction by Pulangi Dam

NGO foresees destruction by another Pulangi dam
By Mai B. Gevera
PIA Press Release 07/28/2004
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p040728.htm&no=1

Davao City (28 July) -- Taking the plight of Pulangi IV hydro submerging 1,400 hectares of agricultural lands and displacing four barangays in the municipality of Maramag , the Alyansang Taga Mindanao Para sa Pag-amping sa Pulangi ug Liguasan Ecosystem feared another destruction will take place with the construction of Pulangi V hydro.

Under the Cotabato-Agusan River Basin Development Program (CARBDP) which is overseeing the development of water systems and relative sources within the CARB, six dams were planned for construction. Only Pulangi IV hydro located in barangay Panadtalan in Maramag, Bukidnon was put up in 1980. Strong opposition of the people hindered the construction of Pulangi I, II, and III.

With the construction of the Pulangi V hydro underway, various reasons were cited to block the construction of the hydro.

The group explained that the biggest point of destruction would be the Liguasan, a vast marshland covering an area of about 288,000 hectares across the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato.

Touted as one of the country’s richest marine repositories, the flow of the water to the marsh will drastically reduce, subsequently to dry-up the marsh.

The said NGO projected the death of more than 300,000 local inhabitants whose survival depends on farming and fishing activities as provided by the natural resource base of the marsh.

Municipalities sharing the Liguasan area are Pikit, Mlang, Tulunan, Matalam, Kabacan, Midsayap, Libungan, and Pigkawayan in the province of North Cotabato, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Pendatun, Buluan, and Kabuntulan in Maguindanao, and Lambayong in Sultan Kudarat.
The rice fields of these municipalities are very dependent on the water supply coming from Liguasan marsh . Small fishermen also catch 10 to 30 tons of fish here everyday.

Alyansa spokesperson Manny Mackinley feared that the dam’s lifespan projected at only 20 years could kill more people after its lifespan.

World Commission on Dams (WCD) revealed that most big dams failed to evaluate the gravity of the diverse results of the construction. They have a more comprehensive diverse impact on rivers, watersheds, water ecosystems which could result to the irreversible extinction of plant and animal life.

Lumads, on the other hand, have another reason for their objection to the Pulangi V hydro. The Manobo-Pulangion have sacred places along Pulangi. A hill in sitio Nangaan, barangay Simbuhay, considered a sacred place, could permanently be lost.

The said NGO insisted that the move to dry-up the marsh is intended to rid the presence of vast expanse of water hindering the military’s terrain mastery and operation exercises.

Without water, the NGO bared that the military can make full use of its armored personnel carriers, tanks, and combat troops to cover a wide area.

“ We are never against any project for development. But we are against to any move that would greatly affect the people living in the area.”, said Mackinley. (PIA)