Dumagat tribespeople to be displaced by Kaliwa Dam worry over their future

Residents of General Nakar and Infanta towns in Quezon province are worried over the effects the China-funded Kaliwa Dam project would have on their lives.

And, according to Ian Cruz's Monday report on 24 Oras, this worry and distress was acutely felt by the local indigenous peoples, the Dumagat, as the dam would not only submerge their homes but their livelihoods as well.

Dumagat Rosalia Dela Cruz, who lives in General Nakar, said she had no recourse but to agree to the construction of the dam as she thought it pointless to resist the government's plans.

While they had been promised new homes after they raised concerns that their present houses would be submerged when the dam was built, they had no idea whether they could make a living at the relocation site. 

“‘Yun pong bigay ay hindi katulad ng ani sa lupa. ‘Pag naubos 'yung bigay (tulong ng gobyerno), paano na kami? Paano naman po kung hindi namin 'yun 'yung kabisado naming tirahan?" Dela Cruz wondered aloud.

Ramil Aumentado from Sitio Queborosa, one of the areas that would be directly affected by the construction of the dam, said the government had already told them that they would be relocated.

“‘Pag 'yun masasakupan po ng [dam], lulubog talaga. Ay, hindi na po namin malalakaran 'yun 'pag 'yun po'y nakalubog na siya."

Once completed, the Kaliwa Dam was expected to provide Metro Manila with 600 million liters of water per day. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News