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A little over 200 locals, members of solidarity groups and international delegates came together to commemorate the struggles of the indigenous peoples during the Cordillera Day. With its aim at uniting the indigenous peoples of Cordillera for their right to self-determination, Cordillera Day’s Itogon (Benguet) celebration was held on April 23.

“Amid difficulties, state fascism and capitalist incursion and imperialist plunder in our communities, we continue to live out the legacy of our ancestors in asserting and defending our rights and control over our territories,” said Santi Mero, chairman of the local chapter of Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA).

The theme for this year’s Cordillera Day is “Defend land, life and resources! Oust the corrupt, fascist and puppet US-Aquino regime!” Itogon Inter Barangay Alliance (IIBA) invited individuals and organizations to participate in the celebration and different workshops were organized during the day.

“Our commemoration of the people’s Cordillera Day is a legitimate defiance against the corrupt, fascist and puppet US-Aquino Regime. The start of Aquino’s term was one marked with promises of good governance and transparency,” Mero continued.

Five years after, however, it is clear that this administration is no different from the last, with unfulfilled promises of an improved situation for the Filipino people, indigenous peoples included.

Killer mines and dams

At this moment there are three large-scale mines and three mega dams actively operating in the region. The mines and dams are the biggest struggle the indigenous people have to cope with. Families are being displaced, their land and resources are demolished to clear the area for large-scale operations. Water becomes undrinkable. More illnesses occur in the region, due to polluted grounds.

The building of the San Roque dam, a massive hydroelectric power plant, caused hundreds of families in Itogon, San Manuel and San Nicolas to leave their homes and abandon their livelihood. Their land is now completely submerged, erased from the province’s topography.

According to data collected from Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in 2012 and DOE in 2014, there are 482 mining and 118 energy applications in the Cordillera region respectively.

“Despite the struggles we experience constantly, when we unite ourselves, we are strong. We can make a change. We should rely on the people’s strength,” a veteran of World War II testified. “I survived the war. The army couldn’t defeat us, because we were too strong. Now they try to kill us by building a dam and they make us poor by installing large-scale mining projects.”

The residents of Itogon asked themselves: “Who benefits from these so-called development projects? We already have enough electricity and power in our region. Only the large corporations, such as SM malls, benefit from these projects. The government doesn’t care about us, it only cares about multinationals and capitalist companies.”

They said that people in the Cordillera region are not against mining. They do not want to abolish the mining, but it should however be oriented differently, so that the indigenous peoples will profit.

“We are against the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The Act states that all mineral resources and private lands are owned by the Philippine State. The present mined areas should return to the ownership of the people,” added Mero.

Extrajudicial killings

The indigenous peoples of Cordillera do not only struggle with keeping their land and livelihood, but also fear for their lives. Katribu, an organization that advocates for the collective rights of indigenous peoples, states there were at least 50 cases of extrajudicial killings of indigenous peoples under Aquino’s term.

The victims were killed because they were vocal opponents of the destructive mining projects and militarization. Some of them criticized government neglect and corruption.

Katribu also recorded 16 incidents of forced evacuation of indigenous peoples in Mindanao, involving approximately 9,754 individuals.

“As Filipinos and umili of the Cordillera, we have suffered enough under a corrupt, fascist and puppet US-Aquino government. We call for the ouster, resignation or removal of this regime before another calamity takes place, before another crisis happens. Before more crimes and human rights violations are committed,” said the statement of CPA.

From 1992 up to 2015, the general theme of Cordillera Day has been to defend. The struggle continues, because the land, life and resources of the indigenous peoples are still threatened. The government tries to destroy the unity of the Cordillera people.

In February and March 2014, three members of the Ligiw family were massacred during a military operation. They were active members of the local CPA chapter. William Bugatti, a human rights activist of the Ifugao Peasant Movement was killed while he was going home.

But just because of those martyrs, because of the sacrifices the people made, the indigenous peoples feel more united than ever.

“We need a genuine system change in order to achieve the aspiration for a truly just and sovereign Philippines. And we will keep fighting for our right to self-determination,” the CPA said .