Bikol Green Group Urges Church to Join Opposition to Dato Dam

Naga City (22 October) - The PANGATAMAN-BIKOL (Bicol Center for Environmental Protection) threw its support to the people of Lupi who are opposing the P700-M dam which will submerge a large portion of the town.

According to Beverly Ala, executive director of PANGATAMAN-BIKOL, "aside from the fact that the dam will destroy the old town that was founded in 1726, it would also displace thousands of townsfolk and rob them of their heritage and identity."

"But what is worse though," Ala continued, "is that this project was not even consulted with the populace and it was rammed into their throats. Its proponents did not even ask those affected if they really wanted and needed a dam or is it because that it is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who imposed it as a source of kickbacks for the district of his son Dato Arroyo in the first district of Camarines Sur."

PANGATAMAN-BIKOL decried that the dam proponents "even had the gall to immediately start the project last May 14" because they seemed to really have "powerful backers to do this" and that putting a stop to the dam project would be an uphill battle.

The environment group says that it is hoping "that the Church will side with the affected people on this issue. We are particularly asking the Bishop of Libmanan, Most Rev. Jose Rojas Jr., D.D., to speak out and defend his flock like what other Bikol bishops did in other environmental issues."

Meanwhile, Ala also belied the statements earlier released by the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) regarding the dam's detrimental effects.

"Firstly, if we are to analyze their arguments saying that unlike the San Roque Dam which is a reservoir dam, they say that the Libmanan-Cabusao Dam (LCD) is just a run-off river dam which is only capable of raising water up to the maximum crest of the dam at 11.3, they are obviously leaving out the fact that they will submerge a large portion of the town. Secondly, water 11.3 meters deep is not like a puddle, it is 37 feet deep and the height of a three storey building," Ala countered.

She added that dam proponents have not considered that "the Bikol region is a disaster prone area and typhoons like the devastating Reming and Milenyo always pass the region."

Hence, a dam such as the one being pushed is "a disaster waiting to happen," Ala added.

PANGATAMAN-BIKOL stated that opposing the dam project "may be an uphill battle but with the unity of the affected people as well as all concerned groups and individuals, this dubious project can be stopped."