Heeding the call of Laudato Si to listen to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth and as an ecowarrior, We strongly condemn those responsible in killing Mapagba River, in Barangay Maputi, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental. While this may be caused by heavy siltation, it cannot be denied that the same was triggered by mining activities in the upstream communities. What was previously a clear river used for bathing, laundry, fishing and as sources of aquatic resources is now a murky pond of silt, devoid of any marine life. We call upon the government to immediately test the river for possible toxic contents from the mining run-offs to ensure the safety and health of the people dependent on the river. The mining company responsible for this must be penalized and be issued a cease and desist order for having deprived the lowland communities their source of life. On a national scale, the Philippine government must rethink its pivot to mining by revoking EO 130, Series of 2021, canceling DENR DAO 2021-40, and repealing RA 7942. We owe this to the future generation.
Help us #ReviveMapagbaRiver, therefore #StopMiningNow.
