With the community in Runruno, Nueva Vizcaya

Community immersion in Nueva Vizcaya mines

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

After covering a convenors meeting of Amianan Salakniban in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, we (Nordis) were given the privilege to join a community integration and sharing at sitio Runruno and Bit-ang – an indigenous people’s community in Nueva Vizcaya where a mining company named FCF of London is set to mine for gold, molybdenum, among others. With lessons shared and new insights but with heavy heart, I attempt to share their story for others to gain insights too.

ONCE UPON A TIME, THE LUSH FOREST. The drill site of the FCF Mining Corporation in sitio Tayag, Runruno village, Nueva Vizcaya. Photo by Rocky Ngalob

First, we departed from Bayombong with a briefing that left a tense feeling in us about the area of Runruno and Bit-ang. Among others, we were briefed and oriented of the presence of military detachments along the way where previously UP students were blocked and harassed in their attempt to enter the area to conduct a research for their thesis. Accompanied by priests and members of the church, whom we assigned as our negotiating group, we traveled to the area with calmness within us.

Upon entering the area we were met by armed security personel of the FCF mining company. From the highway just below the mountain, we immediately saw the signs of destruction on the environment; the once pristine clear river water is now like the dark chocolate grime in a canal. Worst, we were prohibited to enter the mining site of Runruno but from where we stood, we were able to observe huge machine equipments carving out the once lush and green mountain. Up there we were met by Jonathan Humiwat, a local of the area and the Chairman of their community organization.

He vividly described to us the devastation of the area. He described “If I were to name this mountain John, FCF is the butcher that amputated the limbs of John”. Indeed, from our line of view the mountain was cut almost in half of its original form. Furthermore, the remaining half, was shaved bald of its trees and vegetation. From there, Jonathan invited us to Bit-ang: a community that is also threatened by displacement and to suffer the fate.

A one hour hike through lush forest on a 60 degree slope walkway led us to the community of Bit-ang. Upon arrival, the community greeted us with smiles and delight. Also, they prepared a simple feast at our arrival. We ate while some of the community members just watched. As we were eating our lunch, we heard roaring sounds of heavy machinery in the background. We later came to know, the roaring sounds came from bulldozers and loaders of FCF operating above Bit-ang.

After eating we went to their barangay hall – a make-shift type of a waiting-shed with four posts, a roof and slabs of wood nailed on its sides to serve as chairs. From there overlooking the site of operation of FCF, the community facilitated by Jonathan shared their experiences to Amianan Salakniban.

According to Humiwat, Bit-ang is community of almost 400 households with a population of over a thousand. The means of livelihood of these citizens according to him was agriculture (planting and harvesting coffee, pineapple, citrus, ginger, beatle nut, banana etc.), poultry (raising pigs, chickens and ducks) and small scale mining. He further explained that these means of livelihood is now at risk due to the presence of FCF mining company (just right above the community) and its plan to mine their lands. Moreover, the presence FCF armed security personel causes tension and fear in the community for their lives and their everyday way of life.

Now, in this situation the people of the community are resorting to different forms of action like setting human barricades infront of the bulldozers and loaders to paralyze the FCF mining operation. Sadly, these human barricades were never enough since FCF mining company is backed by hordes of armed security personel that forces the community to cower in fear.

Humiwat said, they are now forced to resort to compromise agreements with FCF Company by letting the company asses their property for “just compensation” – basically they are now selling their property to FCF. Humiwat further explained that help from the local government unit in their area is long gone after they allegedly sold-out their fellow ‘kababayans’ to FCF.

After Humiwat, members of the Amianan Salakniban also shared their experiences and struggles from their regions with hopes to rejuvenate the militancy and the unresponsive spirit or hopelessness of the Bit-ang community. First to share was a Priest from IFI. He said that the problem of Bit-ang and Runruno is also connected to the crisis being experienced by the entire Nueva Vizcayanos in particular and the Northern Luzon in general.

He cited that these large scale mining companies aside from degrading the mountains, these companies’ operations also contaminate the water resources of Vizcaya. He further explained that Nueva Vizcaya is the water source of the neighboring parts of Northeast and Central Luzon. With this, he ended his sharing stating that the struggle of Runruno and Bit-ang is also the battle of the entire Northern Luzon.

The culture of unity and collective action in resolving the crisis was stressed by other members of Amianan Salakniban. Madona of Defend Ilocos discussed how unity and collective action helped them in their struggle against magnetite mining in Ilocos.

Fernando Mangili from KAIABANG supplemented the value of unity and collective action by sharing the victories gained by the people of Benguet against large scale mining. Also, Mangili shared how deceptive and manipulative large scale mining companies have been through his years of experience as a small scale miner and a community leader in Benguet. Mangili stressed that accepting payments from companies tantamounts to surendering one’s human rights to capitalist interests.

He added, not to delve too much on the legal battles but to concentrate more on the community collective actions because according to him, the community is the decisive factor in the resolution of any common issue. He ended saying to the people not to submit to the capitalist mining company but to start organizing, educating and mobilizing themselves to seek solutions concerning their issues.