A Statement Opposing the Construction of CASILLI Dam

The Philippines Central Conference
Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Church

Our Social Principle states that “All creation is the Lord’s and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it.” (Par.160.1. The Natural World, Social Principle)

The construction of the CASILLI Dam started 14 May 2009 at the Polantuna River in Barangay Malaguico and Barangay Manangle, Sipocot, Camarines Sur and is scheduled to be finished in November 2010.

The dam, when it goes into operation and inundates the river, is expected to affect and put under water 186 hectares of land in Lupi, covering nine (9) barangays in Lupi, namely: Bagangan Jr., Barrera Sr., Colacling, Cristo Rey, Lupi Nuevo, Lupi Viejo, San Isidro, and San Pedro. It will also submerge three barrios in Sipocot—Malaguico, Manangle, and Yabu. There is also a possibility that it will affect the Poblacion of Lupi, and five (5) more barrios in Sipocot—Azucena, Impig, North Centro, South Centro and Tara. This would also mean that the 3,125 households of peasant farmers in the 25 barangays of Libmanan, and Cabusao embracing a population of 15,625 will be displaced by the inundation of Polantuna River, which the Dam will cause.

The people in these barangays have expressed their opposition to the project, because (1) to date, there has been no consultation with the residents of the areas that will be affected by the Dam; (2) the Dam will definitely ruin the rice fields and other agricultural lands in the area, and this fact is being concealed from the people; and (3) the whole project will also destroy the greater ecology, and that fact is also being hidden from the public.

The United Methodist Church un its Social Principle declares that…

…technological developments have increased our human numbers, and lengthened and increased our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering… (Par.160.1. The Natural World, Social Principles, The United Methodist Church)

We believe that there are other ways or alternatives to generate energy aside from construction of large dam projects like the CASILLI Dam—micro-hydropower, solar powered system, and wind powered system—which are environmental friendly and do not result in massive displacement of people.

…we support and encourage social policies that are directed toward rational and restrained transformation of parts of the nonhuman world into energy for human usage and that deemphasize…energy-producing technologies that endanger the heath, the safety, and even the existence of the present and future human and nonhuman creation. (Par.160.1. Energy Resource Utilization)

We are deeply concerned that even when there is yet no dam, the people of Cabusao, Libmanan, Lupi, and Sipocot are already experiencing flash floods due to heavy rains and every time that storms and typhoons pass by the Bicol Region. With the construction of the dam, there is no guarantee that the promises of the representatives of BRBWMP, NIA, DENR, and other government agencies that the area will stop experiencing flash floods.

The CASILLI Dam Project is a Php1,920,875,197-fast-track project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her son, Camarines Sur 1st District Congressman Diosdado “Dato” M. Arroyo. The construction of the dam promises more harm that good to the lives of the people as it will dry up river systems, ruin agricultural lands, and destroy forest watershed.

“…the rights and privileges a society bestow upon or withholds from those who comprise it indicate the relative esteem in the which that society holds particular persons and groups of persons. We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God…We support the basic rights of all persons equal access to…physical protection." (Par.162.III. The Social Community)

The Philippines Central Conference Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church strongly support the call of the communities of Cabusao, Sipocot, Lupi and Libmanan against the construction of the dam. We believe that the local concern is also of national interest, and it concerns the Filipino people well, since “ang sakit ng kalingkingan, daman g buong katawan."