NEWSFLASH

CORDILLERA TRIBES’ PACT VS. EXPLOITATION

Abra, May 1, 2000 - Tribal leaders and community elders in the Cordillera region have forged a bodong (pact) against the entry of multinational mining corporations and government projects that endanger their lands and cultural heritage.

The recent forging of bodong ensued from an assembly of pongor (peace pact holders) and community leaders barrio Sallapadan, during the commemoration of death of Kalinga tribal leader Macli-ing Dulag who was gunned down by the military 20 years ago in Bugnay, Tinglayan, Kalinga province.

Dulag led the successful opposition to the IMF-WB funded Chico River Basin Dam Project of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the ’80s.

The Pagta (law of the bodong) was sealed with bagawas, an indigenous bodong ritual that involves the killing of a black pig, chanting, and singing Salidummay (indigenous melody) led by some 31 peace pact holders and village elders.

The pongor vowed to lead their tribes in defending their ancestral lands against all attempts by foreign and multinational mining corporations to gain. They will oppose any project, program, or policy of the government that will endanger their lands “nurtured with the blood of their ancestors since time immemorial.”

More than half of the Cordillera region is being applied for mining exploration by foreign mining corporations and their subsidiaries. Newmong Mining, Inc. (USA) and Newscret Exploration Philippines, Inc. (Australia) are the biggest bidders for Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAA) and Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSA).

Under the Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942), government can forge a 25-year renewable agreement with foreign mining corporations to explore and develop mineral resources in any area in the country.

Most of the areas applied by mining investors are indigenous peoples territories in the Cordillera mountain ranges and in Mindanao.