Mt. Kanlaon Protest Climb
Trip Start
Jun 06, 2008
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Trip End
Ongoing
Bacolod,
Philippines
Saturday, June 7, 2008
June 4, 2008
Bacolod City
PROTEST CLIMB SET
Bacolod City - Green Alert Negros together with the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition will be holding a protest climb inside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park this month to slam the position of the government specifically the Provincial Government, DENR, DOE and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on their recent endorsement of the geothermal project of the PNOC-EDC inside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park .
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan endorsed the project on their May 21st session after Board Member Mae Javellana read her committee report which never considered the points of the opposition
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. DENR and DOE also backed up the project and made malicious interventions over Bishop Vicente Navarra to influence his Holiness to sway his decision in favor of PNOC-EDC. "The Protest Climb will symbolize the rage of the environmentalists on the decisions being made by our government over our remaining natural resources. The protest climb will be a defiance of the law that is subservient to the whims and caprices of a private entity like PNOC-EDC." Green Alert stressed.
Green Alert together with the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition reiterated on their position that they are non-negotiable citing that Negros forests are depleted and watershed is in crisis since 1990. The group also proved that there is no power crisis and the brown outs before the endorsement of the project by the SP was just a scare tactics to create a power crisis scenario.
"We cannot take the decision of the Provincial Government, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, DOE and the DENR for allowing and supporting a private corporation like PNOC-EDC in aid of RA 9154 which is an oppressive, unjust and immoral law to enter Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park for the sake of addressing the energy crisis in Negros which in fact is a total lie and deception to all Negrenses"
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. Green Alert stressed. "We are also questioning the Provincial Government and the initiatives of other policy makers to protect the Northern Negros Natural Park by clearing illegal structures of private individuals but failed to stop a mammoth illegal structure of PNOC-EDC to enter another natural park which is Mt. Kanlaon ." Green Alert added.
"We are taking this issue to the highest summit of Negros and that is in Mt. Kanlaon so that everybody will know that we will protect our diminishing forest including the Northern Negros Natural Park whatever it takes. Our protest is a reminder to those who decided in favor of PNOC-EDC that what they did is a disgrace to the future generation." Green Alert added.
For Green Alert Negros
Mark Cervantes
Cooridinator
Green Alert Negros
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News Release
Bacolod City
June 5, 2008
PROTEST CLIMB SETS OFF TODAY
Bacolod City - About thirty (30) trekkers lead by Green Alert Negros sets off for the Mt
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. Kanlaon Protest Climb today. The group participating in the protest climb will be entering Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park without permit coming from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a manifestation of their defiance to the support and submission of DENR to a private corporation like PNOC-EDC.
The protest climb is also an act of rage to the recent endorsement of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to allow PNOC-EDC to proceed with its geothermal project inside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park without considering the arguments of the environmental groups and the church that we have depleted forest cover and loss of biodiversity, watershed in crisis and is no power crisis.
"We are holding this protest climb to show that we disagree with the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, DENR, DOE and PAMB in endorsing the project of PNOC-EDC. If DENR and other forces will stop us from entering the park they should also stop PNOC-EDC from entering the buffer zone for the said company will murder rich biodiversity including endemic flora and fauna inside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park
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. The Protest Climb is the translation of the provisions under Section 4(f) of the NIPAS Act that Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park is for scientific, educational and recreational use". Green Alert stressed. Green Alert Negros conducted the first protest climb in 1998 when it defied the order of then Governor Rafael Coscolluela not to enter the park. But the group reiterated that if the province will bar them from entering, then it should also prevent PNOC-EDC to enter Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park .
"The Protest Climb is our defiance to the government on their decision to open Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park for destruction to a private corporation like PNOC-EDC. The Memorandum of Agreement that the province is now crafting with PNOC-EDC is a justification of their endorsement and lack of principle in policy making." Green Alert added.
"We will not stop the fight to reclaim Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park for our children and their children's children. We will reach the summit and banner the cause so the whole world will know that small voices like us stood guard to protect and defend it." Green Alert declared
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News Release
June 6,2008
Bacolod City
"CLIMBERS TO ENTER THE PARK, DEFIES GOVERNMENT"
Bacolod City - About 35 trekkers joined the Mt. Kanlaon Protest Climb to defy the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental and its Sangguniang Panalalawigan, the DENR, DOE and PAMB on their unprincipled decision to allow the geothermal project of PNOC-EDC inside the buffer zone of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park .
Armed with their backpacks, their pair of trekking shoes, cooking set and the Philippine flag, the trekkers is in high spirits to defy the government in defense of Mt
9 We're doing this for our country and our childre
. Kanlaon Natural Park and its defenseless flora and fauna and the very spot where trekkers define their very existence. "This protest climb is also our independence climb. This will be a start of the liberation of our natural resources from the chains of capitalist control. The start of freeing our flora and fauna from any forms of destruction due to unprincipled policy decisions". Ryan Bancolo of Green Alert stressed.
The protest climb also elevates outdoor consciousness that is centered on environmental activism and protection contrary to the traditional concept of outdoor as a mere sport.
"We would like to inform the rest of the mountaineering organizations to be one with us in protecting our very own Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park . We are also informing the Mt. Everest Expedition Team that recently gave their support endorsing the PNOC-EDC geothermal project to enter "OUR" Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park that they have no moral right to influence the Negrenses over the issue. Even if they have reached Mt. Everest for whatever reason, it will never change our position that Mt
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. Kanlaon Natural Park is non-negotiable." Green Alert stressed. "Our protest climb is also a call to protect the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) which is also one of Negros significant forest cover. We question the double standard policy decisions applied by the government in protecting NNNP against illegal structures but allow the desecration Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park by PNOC-EDC". Green Alert added.
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News Release
June 8,2008
Bacolod City
"Mt
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. Kanlaon Protest Climb Defied Government" Mt. Kanlaon - The 35 climbers who joined the Mt. Kanlaon Protest Climb endured fatigue, hunger, cold weather conditions and rugged terrain inside Mt. Kanlaon to defy the government on their decision to allow the entry of PNOC-EDC on their geothermal project in MKNP. One of the trekkers even fell from the cliff and fortunately sustained minor injuries.
"The two-day Protest Climb is a success and we believe that we have defied established rule and policies on Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park that is only subservient to a private corporation like PNOC-EDC". Green Alert said.
The climbers who joined the protest climb were divided into 3 teams which went inside Mt. Kanlaon in separate entrance points namely Wasay, Semagwan and Kabibihan. The trekkers mostly males was joined by 3 women who endured the same conditions during the trek. Those who joined are experienced and first time trekkers including four (4) children of Atty. Andrea Si.
All three teams started the trek at around 8:00 in the morning on June 6 and passed by the PNOC perimeter area in Sitio Pataan, Ma-ao before penetrating the buffer zone
13 Mother and daughter out to save Mt. Kanlaon
. During the trek, the protestors noticed that PNOC-EDC seemed to clear some areas for new road access in preparation to enter the 12.5 hectares approved buffer zone area. The trekkers can also hear the well pad that was shut down for maintenance and cleaning for 9 months due to calcite deposits that resembles like a Boeing 707 airplane that just landed in the tarmac.
"The noise that can be heard in the well pad is really disturbing. The noise and the vibration coming from the well pad penetrate to the very heart of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park that is home to endemic fauna. If it can disturb the fauna inside Mt. Kanlaon how much more the community that is adjacent to the area." Green Alert stressed.
At the break of the 2nd day, the protestors read the statement condemning the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, DENR, DOE and PAMB on their decision to favor PNOC-EDC to enter the park. The protestors also questioned the double standard policy of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and the DENR to protect the Northern Negros Natural Park from illegal structures but opens Mt
14 More of the team
. Kanlaon Natural Park from destruction. The protestors also declared the protest climb as "independence climb" being the start of liberating the fragile Negros flora and fauna from the chains of capitalist and private control. Lastly, the protestors also condemn the position of the Philippine Mt. Everest Team who maliciously endorsed the PNOC-EDC geothermal project using their fame as the first Filipino team to reach the summit of Mt. Everest . "The Philippine Mt. Everest Team is the symbol of Filipino pride to have reached the highest summit but their endorsement to the project of PNOC-EDC tarnished that very symbol. Even if we only reached the summit of Mt. Kanlaon we can say that ours is the true Filipino pride because we never sold our ground to any form of development like that of PNOC-EDC." Green Alert asserted.
"Our protest climb also established the fact that Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park is rich in biodiversity and still a haven among climbers and other outdoor enthusiast and that it is a place for scientific, education and recreational purpose as stated in the NIPAS Act. Green Alert added.
"We are also vindicated in pushing for other renewable energy options like hydro power when the Provincial Government of Negros just recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alto Power Management Corporation to conduct a study to determine the technical and economic feasibility of building a hydro electric power plant along the upper Bago River, which can produce 75 megawatts of electricity
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. However, we still question the unprincipled and dubious decision of the Province to allow PNOC-EDC when in fact they know that there are other options like hydro electric." Green Alert added. For Green Alert Negros ;
Mark A. Cervantes
Coordinator
Green Alert Negros
09052961281
