Indigenous Tribes Place Barricades to Protest Kaliwa Dam
Several indigenous tribes of Dumagat-Remontado have taken a stand against the planned construction of the Kaliwa Dam in the Sierra Madre mountain range, which spans across the provinces of Quezon and Rizal in the Philippines.
On Tuesday (April 18, 2023), members of these tribes set up barricades in the upper reaches of the Sierra Madre, specifically in the vicinity of the Tinipak River, to protest against a planned ritual by indigenous groups who support the dam.
According to Marcelino Tena, a tribal leader of the Dumagat people and a spokesperson for the anti-dam movement, the barricades were put up to prevent the planned ritual from taking place in their sacred area.
Tena explained that the conflicting and contradictory rituals performed by the pro-dam indigenous groups in their sacred lands go against the traditions and cultural practices of the Dumagat-Remontado tribes.
Tena further elaborated that the Dumagat-Remontado tribes had already conducted their own ritual during the recent Holy Week in the sacred area to appeal for the Kaliwa Dam not to be constructed.
The Dumagat people, who have inhabited the Sierra Madre for generations, rely on the forests and rivers in the area for their livelihood and cultural practices, and they fear that the construction of the dam will disrupt their way of life.
The planned Kaliwa Dam, which is part of the New Centennial Water Source Project, is a flagship infrastructure project of the Philippine government aimed at addressing the growing demand for water supply in Metro Manila and nearby areas.
However, it has faced opposition from various environmental and indigenous groups who are concerned about its potential impacts on the environment, livelihoods, and rights of indigenous peoples.
Several indigenous tribes of Dumagat-Remontado have taken a stand against the planned construction of the Kaliwa Dam in the Sierra Madre mountain range, which spans across the provinces of Quezon and Rizal in the Philippines.
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