Coming to blows for the common good

HARIBON Foundation features women in the book STORIES from the MINES… of struggle, sisterhood and solidarity released by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM); these are the women “who continue to campaign for human dignity, biodiversity conservation and sustainable communities”. JUST as she had every other night for the past few months, Isidra Bausal, or Aling Purit, constantly has fitful sleeps in the early hours of the morning. Day after day, she finds herself leaning uneasily across some piece of furniture. Every day she is reminded of the damage caused by the magnetite mining operation near Lake Bito.

On March 14, 2012, sadness swept over Aling Purit’s face as she looked around Lake Bito—dead fishes floating and surfacing in the lake. A clear physical manifestation “NOTHING is impossible,” seemed to be the mantra of Benjamin Tayag Jr. and Austrian geoscientist Harald Kremnitz when they thought of creating artificial reefs called Reefbuds to help restore destroyed marine life.

“We collaborated on the idea and entered the technology in a contest called ‘Bagong Paraan,’ a World Bank-sponsored contest in 2006,” shared Tayag.

With a grant to finance the production, testing and evaluation of the technology, the duo’s idea of reefbuds came to life. “Reefbuds are basically an organic and inorganic composite artificial reef. They are designed in such a way that when you drop them in seawater, they calcify like a natural reef. They mimic the calcification of marine life,” explained Tayag. “Some of the materials used are outer volcanic rock and organic materials like shredded coconut husks, plus other elements which we patented.”

The mixture of organic and inorganic materials are coupled with beach sand and cement, and shaped into hollow, pyramid-shaped buds which weigh almost 600 kilograms. Using the dive sites of Anilao in of threat and danger brought about by the mining operation in the area surrounding the lake. She broke down, an overwhelming fear knotting her stomach, and pulling her heart. Pinches and spikes ran up her spines and soreness in her throat threatened to choke her. Panic took over.

She and fellow citizens have experienced several problems after the massive fish mortality. Livelihood has been greatly affected since most of the residents living near the mining site are farmers and fisher folks. Aling Purit’s income was insufficient to her family’s needs for they only depend on fishing. There had been a decline in fish catch caused by the contamination of water with oil and grease due to mining.

Aling Purit, together with the other residents, does not have a safe drinking water. The lake’s placid Batangas as their showcase area, Tayag and Kremnitz tested the technology with happy results. “We dropped the material on a totally sandy area, and it came back to life— we had corals growing there,” he said.

The same technology is now being used in the Code Blue Project of Sangkalikasan Cooperative in the Boracay island in Aklan. Code Blue is a medical term used as an alarm for a patient in need of resuscitation and immediate medical attention, a condition similar to the coral reefs of Boracay as indicated in various surveys conducted by marine biologists.

Supported by Globe Telecom, the project involves the installation of 5,000 artificial reef buds in the core zone of the marine protected area, a two-kilometer stretch parallel to Boracay’s shoreline. Tayag shares sadly, “In Boracay, it’s all coral rubble, acres of them.” Preservation is needed as coral reefs play a vital role in maintaining a sustainable marine ecosystem contributing to its resilience, productivity and diversity.

Moreover studies in the US show that corals absorb up to 90 percent of wave energy. With the corals in

Isidra Bausal, or Aling Purit and clear water has turned murky and brown with oil and grease. It is an obvious indication that the water is not potable for drinking, nor for their farmlands, and for purposes of their other means of livelihood.

It came even to a point that Aling Purit’s family has nothing to eat and her children were not able to attend classes because they do not have money. All they have were empty pockets and starved tummies.

Worried that the havoc caused by mining would exacerbate and continue ruin their lives, Aling Purit and her neighbors organized themselves; right there and then, the Unahin Natin Lagi and Diyos (UNLAD) Bito Lake Fisherfolks and Farmers Association was born.

She, with other UNLAD members, constructed a kubo in their barricade site. It is their way of declaring their position against mining, happening in their homeland. There, they conducted their regular prayer meetings, assemblies, consultations and get-togethers.

By joining UNLAD, Aling Purit learned so many things about how mining can creep up their peaceful

Rob Nazal ( second from left), Head for Globe Corporate Social Responsibility, turns over the Code Blue hotline ( 0917- 720BLUE) for conservation monitoring purposes to partner Sangkalikasan Cooperative Boracay gone, the beach is vulnerable to the full impact of waves and the backwash that erodes the white powdery sand, which is the lifeblood of Boracay. According to Jojo Rodriguez, vice chairman of Sangkalikasan, the widest beach front in Boracay used to be 40 meters 10 years ago. Now, it is lives. She also was able to know more about God. Her faith became stronger. She found new friends whom she could turn to whenever she feels down and weary.

UNILAD encountered many challenges. Their barangay officials left them alone. The people who motivated them to join this social action against mining were the same people who left them hanging. Aling Purit and her comembers were even alleged as members of the New People’s Army (NPA). A big hoax they flouted.

Despite all the odds that came her way, Aling Purit did not regret anything. Her fight against mining is one of the wisest decisions she has even made. According to her, “I am fighting to stop mining not only for myself, but for my family, my friends, and for the generations to come.” She wanted to let the forthcoming generations witness the beauty and pleasure they get from their much-loved Lake Bito.

On April 30, 2012, Aling Purit looked around at her co-UNLAD members with happiness as they gather in the barricade site. The mining operation near the lake has been temporarily suspended. A lump formed in her throat and tears welled in her eyes. The tears were a mixture of hope, of pure bliss, and pride, a feeling of not knowing what the future holds, but being so ready to face it all.

All her efforts, sacrifices, and hard work paid off. However, her fight to stop mining in MacArthur does not end here. “As Christians, it is important to be truthful in our calling as wardens of God’s creation and to protect it from any kind of forces that will cause its devastation. As long as I live, I will fight for our rights—our right to live, right to eat at least three times a day, and our right to protect one of the greatest gifts God has given to us, Lake Bito. I will never allow anyone to ruin the future of our place, our children, and our lives. I will fight ‘till I could slumber peacefully and with composure night by night,” Aling Purit shared.

Aling Purit—a woman against mining, a mother with a story to tell.

(The writer is a student from the Visayas State University.)