Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 23) – The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples has not yet given the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System the green light to proceed with the construction of the Kaliwa Dam, an official told lawmakers Tuesday.
NCIP Provincial Director for Quezon Angelo Sallidao said the process of certification precondition for getting the indigenous peoples’ free prior and informed consent was still ongoing.
The NCIP certification is among the requirements the MWSS needs before proceeding with the construction of the P12.2-billion dam bordering Rizal and Quezon provinces. It will be funded through a loan from China.
The Commission on Audit had questioned the issuance by the MWSS of a notice to proceed with the dam’s construction despite the failure of its Chinese contractor, China Energy Engineering Corp., to comply with the requirements under the loan agreement.
At the hearing, IP leader Marcelino Tena said five out of the six “clusters” of tribal groups consulted by the MWSS in Quezon for the dam’s construction did not give their consent for the project.
Tena, the president of the Samahan ng mga Katutubong Agta/Dumagat, said the construction of an access road leading to the project site was still ongoing despite the IP’s opposition to it.
“Sinisira na nila ang kalikasan sa aming lupaing ninuno, nasisira din ang samahan naming mga katutubo dahil sa ginagawa nila,” he said.
[Translation: They are damaging our ancestral land and the bond among tribal groups because of what they are doing.]
MWSS deputy administrator Leonor Cleofas, however, said CEEC has only been conducting surveys and geological investigation at the project site to come up with a detailed engineering design for the dam.
“Ang ating environmental compliance certificate ay ibinigay sa atin ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources noong October 2019. Nakasaad doon na walang magagawang construction hangga’t hindi natin nakukuha ang lahat ng permits, clearances ng ating mga different government [agencies],” she said.
[Translation: Our environmental compliance certificate was issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources last October 2019. It’s stated there that construction will not be allowed until we have secured all the permits, clearances from different government agencies.]
