The land of Lubo in Kibungan has been reshaped by earth-moving activities. Its present environment unfolds a landscape of contrasts. Its mountains are covered by the growing “green gold” and young pine trees while the lower area is an expanse of dug up layers of soil and rock. Its lowest spot, once a part of the highest mountain in that area, is a pool that contains the toxic waste of the “yellow gold” mines.
BY MARY CARLING
Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
The land of Lubo in Kibungan has been reshaped by earth-moving activities. Its present environment unfolds a landscape of contrasts. Its mountains are covered by the growing “green gold” and young pine trees while the lower area is an expanse of dug up layers of soil and rock. Its lowest spot, once a part of the highest mountain in that area, is a pool that contains the toxic waste of the “yellow gold” mines.
At the heart of this land stands a waiting shed with a written message that bears out the thoughts of the community. One of its sides hangs a poster that says, “Green gold feeds the people, yellow gold kills the future.” This points to the devastation brought about by Western Minolco’s strip mining operations. This waiting shed also awaits the approaching mining ventures. The community further declares, “Ito ay taniman ng puno, hindi hukayan ng ginto” (This is a tree farm, not a mine dugout).
The scar of large-scale mining has given the community a remarkable lesson on the “paradox of gold.” Their painful experiences have earned them these golden lessons. Today, these bind them together and impel them to resist the forces of destruction.
Extracting the “yellow gold”
About 30 years ago, the old folk never imagined that in the heart of Lubo’s landscape, a whole mountain would be stripped off just to extract minerals. The mountain that provided sustenance for many generations disappeared before their eyes in the swift stroke of mining. In their recollections, they would cite the summit that once stood as part of their nature.
Before the operations, the company allayed their fears of what may happen to their land. But in the aggressive mining process, they were surprised at the sight of the earth-moving machines of Western Minolco.
For eight years, the land movers went on to scrape the mountain down to its base. What used to be the home of about 50 Kankanaey families was transformed into a desert. These families gave way to the mining operations bearing in mind the promises of Western Minolco.
While many of them stayed in Lubo, some went out to resettle in Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan.
With high hopes for progress, people then lined up for jobs in the company, but many were disqualified.
Lakay Patricio, worked for the mines but with the meager pay, he did not stay long. At present, he sells pineapples by the roadside of Lubo. With the little cash that he gets, he could hardly afford life’s basic necessities. In his whole life, his deepest woe is the loss of his most precious possession, his rice terraces.
Now in his 70s and still single, Lakay Patricio says, “If I have children, what land would I hand down to them?” The destructive ways of mining left him with nothing but a memory of his precious land.
After eight years of operations, the company scurried away, reneging in its promise to the community to rehabilitate the devastated land. Yet, the company’s gold prospects in Lubo remain. Every year, company personnel try to pay the taxes of the land they allegedly bought from the people. However, the municipal government refuses to accept their payments.
Nurturing the “green gold”
The new hope of the community lies in the bounty of their “green gold,” which is the abundant sayote crops that are hanging under the elaborate trellis of healthy vines that cover their mountain slopes. Several trucks frequent Kibungan roads to haul sayote to La Trinidad, Baguio and Manila trading centers.
With the good income they generate from this crop, Arturo Collado, Lubo’s barangay captain and also the town’s Association of Barangay Captain president, proudly says, “When the mines were here we had no vehicles, but now we have elf to transport our harvest.”
While other communities elsewhere engage in small or pocket mining as their alternative to large scale mining, in Lubo, the “green gold” will continue to feed people. In giving equal importance to economics and ecology, this sustainable livelihood has engaged the full support of town officials.
Recently, the municipal officials clinched a deal with Manila traders for a steady market of their crops. The agreement includes a fairly fixed price of crops to avoid loss of income for the farmers, like in the open trading where there is the unpredictable high –low crop pricing. This motivated the community to further improve the quality of their produce.
To ensure a smooth flow of supply, Vice-Mayor Susana Ayatoc reported that the municipal government would tap agricultural technicians to assist farmers and secure their crops from possible attacks of plant diseases.
The people’s crusade for a green environment and sustainable livelihood is now giving birth to a new life in the community. As the green gold abounds in their mountains, on other parts of the land, young pine trees are branching out in thick spread, bananas are starting to grow and other plants are sprouting to add aesthetics to the surroundings. The promising growth is expanding to slowly turn the desert into a productive land.
The families who have left the community at the advent of the mining operations are now starting to return to Lubo to reestablish their lives. They are coming back to be with the community, and to be counted in their resolute stand against mining. (Northern Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat)
