Taguibo Watershed Mess Only a Tip of the Iceberg in Caraga’s Socio-Political life

by Ben Serrano

July 23, 2009

BUTUAN CITY- In People’s Guardian newspaper June 16-21 issue by which I wrote the editorial in retrospect to Butuan or Taguibo Watershed controversy titled “Somebody has to answer the Butuan Watershed Mess”. (this also appears here a blog Mindanao.com) there was a challenge posed to every right minded, concerned Butuan City residents much more the civil society to rise on the occasion.

Now there is some sort of respond to that challenge or call. There is now Father Saturnino Urios University-led Save Taguibo Watershed Network I am extremely happy never mind if its too late because since illegal construction of road and mining have started in that watershed in as early as 2005.

For as long as we responded to it, by which of course the right thing to do, let us rock and roll to it! And please I am not blaming anybody for the watershed mess as this needs further investigations. The most important is these people must be unmasked so that they will not be bad example to people who wish to ravage the watershed again.

Good thing that young people, the hope of the fatherland (never mind the mother) of impoverished souls (not brave souls actually for we cannot even defend our rights) spearheads this movement and even enthusiastic as I see in their faces (although the People’s Guardian was not even invited neither this poor pen pusher to cover such very important event).

In the way the students responded to the network, I see light at the end of the dark, murky tunnel.

But after launching of such noble networking at the University of Fr. Saturnino Urios , what’s next? Where do we go from here, there and everywhere

Can we sustain such activity? Until finally put those who trampled our watershed in the bridge of no return? Are we ready, enlightened to face the reality that the root of evil of all these environmental problems in Caraga Region is due to too much politicking that impoverished our people not only materially but spiritually?

These shenanigan politicians who were behind these shrewd capitalists in cutting trees and towed them with gusto along full of sawdust and toxic Agusan RIver, dig boulders of sands and soils and even flattened mountains by hauling these precious soils to other countries and made the once heralding hills and mountains into flat bed swimming pools, have only one thing in mind whether we like it or not and never mind the environment and the future, they have to earn funds to buy votes in elections after elections to some willing with open arms and sometimes legs Caraga voters.

The huge remaining balance of funds courtesy of mining and logging they used it to bet in their vices such as cockfighting, give some to their ass licking supporters thus the vicious cycle of these social malaise is repeated over and over again right smack in our faces. Our politicians can do this because we allow it to happen with gusto for decades now.

Ergo, the Butuan Watershed mess is only a tip of the iceberg in the ills of Caraga Region’s socio-political life. But whose to blame? First it is our political leaders who failed to set shining example of good governance and second, we the voters because we allow this things to happen in exchange of few silver like Judas the Escariot. Little did we know that we are being fried with our own oil.

Good governance has many faces but most distinct of all is the ability of leaders to develop another leaders so that when time comes to step down in power somebody who is more than capable and competent is ready to take the reigns of leadership in the argument that public office is a public trust and therefore no one can monopolize the power to govern.

But our present political life is different our political leaders seem do not want to vacate or clinging themselves to that chair of power whose power actually emanates from the people.

Ironically, they wanted their wife (or some even wives), sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandsons to be Mayors, Governors, and if all their generations exhausted they will allow their house pets, cats and dogs to run for public office too.

In retrospect, there was once an Agusan town mining controversy (which until now to me legitimate issues remained unanswered like where is that dig and refill provision or promise of that malakas at si maganda mining firm, what is fulfilled is dig and dig until nahimong tigidig, tigidig walanghiya! I doubt if the soils dug and hauled to other countries which caused huge pot holes and made mountains flat like my flat nose. The rival politicians howled and shout in high heavens and become instant environmentalists like instant noodles!

Now, in reverse they become violators. This is maybe they see the color of the money to buy votes in mining! Never mind the environment and never mind if it is watershed! Because the people don’t care about it anyway after all they are busy in searching money daily just to survive!

But who brought these hardships to us? The vicious cycle of bad governance is all too blamed.

Understandably, they have reasons why they had to mine Watershed areas. because scientifically precious stones, metallic and non-metallic minerals are attracted or pooled or grouped themselves together to cool, watery areas. In short they magnetized to cool places while heads of greedy people are heated up salivating in greed, never mind again the environment and people even if their source of drinking water are poisoned.

Don’t get me wrong for I am not anti-development neither I am naming names nor pinpointing or blaming somebody to all these mess we all have now because in reality, we are all at fault.

We need minerals to develop everything. God gave us all these wealth to use it wisely for the Glory of his name and for people to enjoy it.

Like what I’ve said at the Caraga Regional Mineral Development Council meeting in Surigao City sometime in 2008, what we need is to put things and our house in order but all warnings I’ve said have fallen unto deaf ears because who am I anyway. I was telling government officials and personnel that they must be strengthened to decide of what is right without interference of political mammals who always threaten to throw any career government officials to Tawi-Tawi or Sabah if anyone crosses their paths.

And now worst things are happening, the other day, is this karma? Lately, there was almost bloody confrontation luckily cooler heads prevail. Do we need bloodshed to awaken us in our deep slumber?

Is Save Taguibo Watershed Network enough? Or shall we instead call for political reforms?

We are the answers of the mess we created ourselves, if we all go together hand in hand we can make a difference. This might be a wishful thinking because I knew mine is mere rhetorics. Only history will prove me right. Unless the people of Caraga will be awakened, there will be more water shed to be destroyed as greed will make people crazy and crazier each day.

Caraganons deserved better governance because God give us the beauty and richness not only for our nature but us, its people. I knew this will not be solved in my lifetime but at least there must be something stored for us in the future.

If we cannot defend the source of water that sustains life, what do you think are stored for us in the future?