Casiguran protesters reach homestretch of 370-km march, stage ‘exodus’ drama
Press Release— Task Force Anti-APECO— 7 December 2012

The 370-km protest walk of farmers, fisherfolk and IP’s will only be the first ‘diaspora’ of Casiguran residents should the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (APECO) be fully completed in the 400-year old municipality, if members of the 120-strong long march are to be believed.

As the Casiguran march for justice today undertook its single longest walking day from San Rafael to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan (42-km), the protesters again highlighted the disastrous effects of APECO on their communities by mounting a full-blown ‘exodus’ walk— involving street dramas of the dislocation and insecurities that the ecozone, if left operating, would impose upon Casiguran’s marginalized townsfolk.

“Despite the great distances we’ve had to cover, we are fast approaching Manila on this 14th day of our march,” said Vicente Convicto in Filipino, president of PIGLASCA, the peoples’ organization of the Casiguran marchers. “Today’s walk has already been long and hard on all of us. But if APECO is not stopped, we are certain that our difficulties will be even worse than what we are currently going through.”

The 120 marchers departed from Casiguran last November 24, in order to oppose the continuing activities of the 12,923-hectare APECO. APECO— one of the Philippines’ newest special economic zones— was created by Senator Edgardo Angara, Congressman Juan Edgardo Angara and Governor Bella Angara-Castillo through the passage of RA 9490 in 2007, and expanded twenty-four times over by RA10083 in 2010.

The demands of the protest walk have taken a considerable toll on the marchers. Their feet have been bruised and bandaged, and numerous times, individuals have been carried by their fellow marchers due to fainting and heatstroke spells.

Nonetheless, despite the difficulties, the marchers have spurred overwhelming waves of support in towns and cities across Central Luzon, such as Baler, Cabanatuan, Gapan and San Rafael. One forum which they organized in Cabanatuan city last December 4, for example, drew in more than 800 supporters, including no less than Cabanatuan Bishop Sofronio Bancud.

The 120 marching farmers, fisherfolk and IP’s are finally expected to arrive in Quezon City on December 8. They also hope to have a meeting and dialogue with President Aquino himself on December 11.

“Throughout this march we have seen one obstacle after another try to keep us from reaching Manila, but we will not let anything stop us from delivering our calls directly to President Aquino,” voiced Vita Banayag, an Agta chieftain from Brgy. Culat, Casiguran. “On behalf of the indigenous tribes of Casiguran, I am appealing him to help us protect our ancestral lands by stopping APECO’s budget and ensuring that our ancestral domain titles will finally be released to us after years and years of delay.”

“If APECO takes control of our lands, where else will the IP’s of Casiguran be left to go? Will we be exiled from our own ancestral homes while our sacred grounds will be turned into tourist attractions? We reject these options!” Banayag exclaimed.

“As of today we have already marched 300 kilometers to Manila,” said Convicto. “Yet unless President Aquino helps us stop APECO’s activities, I fear that this will only be the first of many ‘exoduses’ of displaced Casiguran residents to other parts of the country. Our hopes are now on President Aquino to prevent this.”

“We again urge President Aquino to take heed to the demands of the marchers— his fellow travellers on the ‘Daang Matuwid.’ Stop APECO’s implementation. Block the budget of APECO for 2013,” Convicto asserted.
For communications please contact:
Jerik Cruz
Task Force Anti-APECO Communications Coordinator
Cellphone: 09267284058
Email: jerik.cruz@gmail.com

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