Eleven years after the destructive Supertyphoon Haiyan, locally known as Bagyong Yolanda, various environmental advocates and survivors marched from Far Eastern University (FEU) Morayta to Mendiola on November 8 to demand accountability amid criminal negligence of the previous and current administration under Marcos Jr. on the climate crisis.
The march was held in memory of the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, which devastated various parts of the country, particularly in the Visayas region.
At least 8,000 people lost their lives on the first day of Yolanda’s landfall. Approximately 16.1 million people were affected by the super typhoon, which hit 44 provinces.
Many communities, farms, livelihoods, hospitals, schools, and other infrastructure were destroyed, with the total recorded damage across the country reaching ₱132.4 billion.
Disasters are no longer natural
Eco Dangla, spokesperson of the People Surge National Alliance of Disaster Survivors, asserted that climate change should not be solely blamed for the increasing severity of natural calamities but we must also look at criminal negligence of the previous and current government.
“This is why we are saying that this is criminal negligence of the government and not just climate change, we need to see the continued plundering of foreign corporations aided by the government itself… and what is our current president doing? Nothing but maintaining and expanding large-scale mining,” said Dangla.
Dangla also emphasized the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, signed under Ramos administration, which allowed the government to grant exploration and mining permits to private and even fully foreign-owned corporations, effectively relaxing regulations on mining enterprises.
This year, two significant mining-related disasters were reported.
The first was on February 6 in Masara, Davao de Oro when a landslide struck amid heavy rain near a gold mine operated by APEX Mining, a company owned by Enrique Razon Jr. The landslide caused the deaths of nearly 100 residents, including nine mining employees, and displaced close to 5,000 people.
Another transpired on May 13 in Siana, Surigao del Norte, when a landslide destroyed several homes after it struck a tailings storage facility operated by Greenstone Resources Corporation (GRC).
In 2023, Marcos Jr. reiterated in his speech at the Philippine Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA) the need to invest in mineral processing in the country despite public clamor and calls for the suspension of large-scale mining operations.
Flooding caused by reclamation
Environmental groups further denounced the adverse climate impacts of reclamation projects that significantly affected the livelihood of fisherfolk along coastal communities especially in Manila Bay.
“There is the destruction of our environment because of reclamation, because of dredging. The P5,000 and P2,400 compensation being given by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) to the fishermen is not enough. What the fishermen of Cavite want is an end to all reclamation and dredging,” said Aries Soledad of PAMALAKAYA-Cavite.
Currently, there are about 23 reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
Such effects include heavy flooding which has been particularly severe during recent typhoons Carina and Kristine.
The National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported almost 80 occurrences of flooding in the aftermath of Typhoon Carina. This indicated 15 reported deaths, and more than 6,000 damaged houses in Region IV-A CALABARZON alone.
Call to action
“Eleven years have passed [since Bagyong Yolanda] but until now our countrymen have not achieved justice. Has our government done anything to solve the problems caused by typhoons? Our countrymen have no more defense, trees are cut down, mountains have been flattened,” Amirah Lidasan, a senatorial candidate under Koalisyong Makabayan said.
Groups demand accountability from Marcos Jr.’s administration amidst failure to mitigate the damage to livelihoods, infrastructure, and the loss of life caused by recent typhoons as well as continuing and rampant human rights violations against environmental advocates.
Since Marcos Jr. assumed office in 2022, around 14 individuals were reported to have been abducted. According to groups, such abductions have long been used to instill fear and to silence critics, especially among environmental human rights defenders like Dangla, Jonila Castro, Jhed Tamano, Dyan Gumanao, Armand Dayoha among others.
“In memory of our brothers and sisters who were washed away by typhoons, who were abandoned by the administrations of Aquino, Duterte, and Marcos. We call for justice and let us not let their memories be forgotten. We call for a stop to all destructive projects!” ended Lidasan.
