Subject: [cwj 122] Cordillera: JBIC should stop funding San =?iso-8859-1?Q?Roqu=E9?= Dam Project
From: Corporate Watch in Japanese <cwj@corpwatch.org>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 13:31:37 -0700
Seq: 122
CPA letter to JBIC=20 September 15,2000=20 Mr. YASUDA Hiroshi Governor Japanese Bank for International Cooperation 4-1, OHTEMACHI 1-CHOME CHIYODA-KU. TOKYO 100-8144, JAPAN=20 Dear Mr. YASUDA Hiroshi=20 Greetings from CPA!=20 This is to inform you that the Municipal Council of Itogon has approved the resolution to withdraw their endorsement of the San Roque Dam Project, during their official session in September 13,2000. The main reason given by the Council for this decision is the unsubtantive compliance of the 17 conditions set by the Council as part of their endorsement to the San Roque Dam Project, known as resolution 109. The written resolution will be signed by the Council members after the minutes of the their meeting is put into writing. We will send to you a copy of the resolution as soon as possible. We have documented the deliberations of the Council on video.=20 With this development, the San Roqu=E9 Dam Project now lacks the legal requirement for its continuing implementation, as defined by the Local Government Code. Likewise, there is also no informed and prior consent of dam-affected communities of Itogon, Benguet, as a requirement of the Indigenous Peoples Right Act. Thus, the continuing construction of the San Roque Dam is already contrary to existing Philippine laws. Likewise, JBIC also made it as part of its conditions for further disbursements of loans the satisfactory implementation of the 17 conditions set by the Council. This is again a not complied with by NPC and other concerned government unit as attested by the withdrawal of endorsement to the San Roque Dam Project by the Municipal Council of Itogon. As one of the Councilors stated during their deliberations for the withdrawal of endorsement," It is now clear that the aspiration of the peoples of Itogon looking forward to the commitments made by concerned agencies are all exercise in futility, and the blatant disregard of the commitments shows that the agencies concerned are devoid of mercy and= heart".=20 With this development, dam proponents already lose their legal grounds to still continue with the dam construction. In this regard, we urge JBIC to withhold further disbursements to the San Roque Dam and seriously review the conditions set by JBIC for their financial support to the project. In the light of serious violations to these conditions, we appeal to JBIC to also seriously consider the cancellation of their loan to San Roque Dam. We firmly believe that there are serious violations to the conditions that justify the cancellation of the loan to the San Roque dam. We further believe that JBIC owes this to the dam-affected families who were made to sacrifice for this project but are shortchanged as their life has even worsened.=20 We hope our pleadings to you will be addressed. Thanks for your attention and we look forward to your response.=20 Sincerely,=20 Ms. Joan Carling Secretary General CPA WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF ENDORSEMENT OF THE SAN ROQUE DAM PROJECT BY THE MUNICPAL COUNCIL OF ITOGON=20 =20 The Cordillera Peoples' Alliance welcomes the decision of the municipal council of Itogon, Benguet withdrawing its endorsement of the San Roque Dam project. In a session held last September 13, 2000, the council approved a resolution withdrawing its earlier endorsement of the dam project for unsubstantive compliance and non-implementation of the 17 conditions set by the council in July 1997 in exchange for endorsing the San Roque Dam Project.=20 The CPA believes that the municipal council's decision is highly commendable as it reflects the persistent opposition of the dam-affected communities as well as concerned citizens of Itogon and their supporters. The Shalupirip Santahnay Indigenous Peoples Movement (SSIPM) and the Itogon Inter-Barangay Alliance (IIB-A), together with CPA submitted petition letters, held pickets and attended en masse the deliberation of the Council on the San Roque Dam Project.=20 It is indeed a well-deserved victory for the people of Itogon that their government officials finally heeded their demand to withdraw their support the project. It is also an affirmation of the earlier assessement made by SSIPM, IIB-A and CPA regarding the non-implementaion of the 17 conditions, as well as their long-held position that the adverse impacts of San Roque Dam can never be mitigated as claimed by its proponents.=20 With this development, the San Roque Dam Project now lacks the legal requirement for its implementation, as defined by the Local Government Code. This law specifically requires the official endorsement by local government units of development projects in their area of responsibility. The continuing construction of the San Roque dam now becomes highly questionnable, and can already be legally challenged. The project also lacks the informed and prior consent of the affected communities.=20 However, there are desperate and sinister attempts by government agencies and the NPC to subvert this requirement by coming out with deceptive packages of compensation for the affected people to accept the project. It should be recalled though that NPC has not fulfilled its promises to displaced families in Pangasinan and to those earlier displaced from the construction of the Binga and Ambuklao dams.=20 It is now the turn of the National Power Corporation (NPC), the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), the Japanese Banks for International Cooperation( JBIC) and President Estrada to listen to the demand of dam affected communities to stop the project and to duly compensate those whose lives were adversely affected by the on-going construction of the dam. The dam proponents have already lost their legal ground to still insist on the implementation of this anti-environment and anti-people project. It is high time for them to abandon the project and rehabilitate the damage and destruction they have caused so far.=20 The campaign against the San Roque dam is now on a higher legal and moral grounds to further push for the cancellation of the loan being extended by JBIC to the project, so the construction of San Roque Dam can finally be stopped.=20 "With this recent victory of dam-affected people and concerned residents of Itogon, we shall continue to advance our campaign, and there is no stopping us to stop the San Roque Dam!", the CPA claims.=20 Joan Carling Cordillera Peoples Alliance Baguio City Sept. 15, 2000 ------------------------------------- Corporate Watch in Japanese Transnational Resource and Action Center (TRAC) P.O. 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