Buneg, Lacub, 26 April 2011
Dear friends at CPA, KASTAN and TULBEK
Dear friends of the Buneg Farmers Association and the Binongan, Adasen and Mabaca tribes in Lacub.
Dear participants and delegates from the numerous organizations gathered here in solidarity,
It is with great pleasure and honor to participate and represent New World in this 27th Cordillera Day celebration.
27 years of the Cordillera People's Alliance for the defense of land, life and resources, 27th Cordillera Day Celebration. New World is pleased to have been in solidarity with your endeavors for the past 17 years through its multi-sectoral programs on food security, health, organizing and advocacy, co-financed by the Province of East Flanders and the Belgian Development Cooperation, and through its educational work. We are pleased to inform you that also this year the Cordillera Day is having a Belgian counterpart through TV spots, documentaries and interviews broadcasted for a wide audience.
This 27th Cordillera will be remembered as a very special one. The Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front have agreed to use this gathering for holding an official peace consultation on socio economic concerns affecting indigenous peoples as part of the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms as next step in the peace negotiations. Together with all of you we hope this consultation will contribute to a lasting peace, justice and development as soon as possible.
Dear friends, it feels good to be back in Lacub again. It feels good to feel again the strength of your struggles for a just and better life. Rice, swidden farms, livestock, forests and gold; it should have been sufficient for a life worthy of a human being. Yet, as we observed already for many years, people in Lacub as well as elsewhere in the Cordillera and Philippines, face a daily struggle to make ends meet.
Definitely life in Lacub has changed after the Cellophil Resources Corporation ended its massive tree cutting in the '70-ties. Presently the people of Lacub again feel threatened in their existence by big scale mining companies, warlords and operations of the Philippine army. Even the preparations for this celebration had to overcome several obstacles.
Looking at the present environment in Lacub we have to conclude that it was right to fight against the deforestation of the Cellophil Resources. Looking at the present mined out areas in Itogon and the recent events in Compostela Valley, we have to conclude that it is right to fight against the big scale mining plans of Golden Lake Mineral Resources, Titan Mining and Energy Corporation and the Grand Total Mineral Exploration.
Yes, let us fight for our land. Because fighting for our land means fighting for our lives. And because fighting for our lives mean fighting for our honor as indigenous peoples.
Mabuhay sa inyong lahat at maraming salamat po,
New World.