Obandeños vs landfill

Letter-writer Franco Oco complained that the title of a news report on the Supreme Court’s endorsement to the Court of Appeals of the writ of kalikasan filed by angry residents of Obando, Bulacan, against Ecoshield Development Corp.’s P1-billion “sanitary” landfill was “deliberately and maliciously twisted . . . it looked like the petitioners got what they wanted when in reality their petition was very subtly denied by the high court.” (Inquirer, 3/19/12) Oco further insulted the aggrieved petitioners by describing them as “a handful of residents… claiming to be environmentalists.”

The title is correct: “Supreme Court grants Bulacan folk relief in fight vs landfill.” (Inquirer, 3/4/12)

The Supreme Court’s speedy action shows the merit of the petition of respected Obandeños, not shadowy characters. Outsider Ecoshield’s landfill will poison the waters of a small and quiet fishing town and Manila Bay, deprive the people of livelihood, and spoil the visit of childless couples pleading for Sta. Clara’s intercession to this traditional tourism site.

I come from abroad for a visit to my hometown Obando, but found myself investigating Ecoshield and learned it is owned by a former ambassador who was close to the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and now chairs a Catholic Church initiative. Calling the attention of Manila Archbishop Luis Tagle.

Why did the Department of Environment and Natural Resources approve Ecoshield’s landfill project? Obando is almost part of Manila Bay; it was one of the worst submerged towns during Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel,” and the Court has issued an order for the clean-up of Manila Bay.

A “builder- architect” of Ecoshield reportedly caused the destruction of mangroves around a 45-hectare fishpond, and threatened the leaders opposed to the landfill. Ecoshield’s public relations men fed lies to columnists, like Inquirer’s Neal Cruz and Ramon Tulfo.

My kababayans were prudent in seeking the Supreme Court after learning their lesson five years ago, when they opposed Reghis Romero’s Phileco landfill in Navotas—only a minute away from Obando. One day, as the barge carrying the garbage of Manila passed by Obando River, angry Obandeños managed to disable it. After that, a leader of the fisherfolk group was reportedly ordered killed by a major general (now retired). Phileco transferred its dump, but not far enough. The new dump is still along the shore of Manila Bay.

We will continue to fight Ecoshield and Phileco’s destruction of our town’s environment and source of livelihood. We are many in number.

—MAMERTO R. SILANG,

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