This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 50, January 29-February 4, 2006
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S WATCH
Cordillera Peasants,
Indigenous Groups Oppose Chacha
Cause-oriented groups stress that the proposed changes in the 1987 Constitution
aim to allow 100% foreign ownership of the country’s natural resources,
resulting in the further marginalization of peasants and indigenous peoples.
BY KIM QUITASOL BAGUIO CITY (246 kms north
of Manila) — Peasants and indigenous peoples (IPs) in the Cordillera region are
opposed to charter change being pushed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
They say this will result in the further loss of agricultural livelihood and
ancestral lands. Fernando Mangili of the
Alyansa dagiti Pesante ti Taeng Kordilyera (Apit Tako or Alliance of Peasants in
the Cordillera Homeland) said the proposed changes in the 1987 Constitution are
geared towards allowing 100% foreign ownership of the country’s natural
resources. He said that in the proposed new version of the constitution,
agricultural and industrial lands would be open for foreign and domestic
ownership. Mangili further said that
at present, 70% or seven out of 10 farmers in the country do not own the land
they till. If charter change succeeds, then landlessness among peasants would
worsen because they will not be able to compete with foreign capital.
“The sell-out of national
patrimony is actually happening through the mining explorations ushered in by
GMA’s revitalized mining policies and the Mining Act of 1995 but the
protectionist provisions in the present constitution is an impediment to full
blast effects of such laws and policies,” Mangili stressed. Cordillera Peoples Alliance
(CPA) Secretary General Emi Carreon said that IPs all over the country would
lose their ancestral lands and resources to foreign owned corporations once the
proposed cha-cha succeeds. This is especially true in the Cordilleras which is
considered as one of the country’s top natural resource bases. Carreon added that foreign
mining companies would feast over the country’s rich mineral reserves. If this
happens, IPs would become squatters in their own land. She said that at present,
despite the protectionist provisions of the constitution and strong opposition
from affected communities, foreign companies still manage to apply for mining
explorations. Cha-cha as diversionary
tactic Meanwhile, Bayan Muna
National Vice Chair Manny Loste stressed that cha-cha is GMA’s diversionary
tactic to perpetuate her stay in power. He said the renewed call for cha-cha
happened when there was a growing support for her ouster. Loste stressed that the
provincial consultations the GMA camp has been conducting were deceptive. He
said that the consultations were focused on the change in the form of government
from presidential to parliamentary and the proposed amendments were not
presented. “They intentionally
withheld the information on the proposed amendments because they know that it
would stir wide opposition,” Loste added. Furthermore, Chie Galvez of
the Tongtongan ti Umili (TTU or People’s Forum) stressed that cha-cha is not the
answer to the present political and economic problem of the country. She said
that it would only worsen the present crisis. “The problem is not the
constitution, the real problem is GMA’s continued stay in Malacañang.”
Galvez clarified that they
are not defending the constitution. She explained that the present constitution
has its flaws but still there are provisions that the people still fall back on.
According to her, these are the same provisions that the GMA administration
wants removed. Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
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Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat