HOMONHON ISLAND                                              A FIELD APPRAISAL

 

           Homonhon Island is part of the Municipality of Guiuan, Province of Eastern Samar, located at the southeastern part Guiuan mainland and is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. It has a total land area of more or less Seven Thousand Four Hundred Square Hectares (7,400 sq.has.) and composed of Eight (8) Barangays with an average population of 7.000 people. It cradles a vast and rich aqua-marine, coastal and upland resources and it has a great potential for agricultural and eco and historical tourism development. Basically, it is a fishing and farming community.

 

          A massive deterioration of the Island’s environment and resources due to mining ghastly alarmed concerned residents. Once before, Homonhon Island boasts a thick and lush forest, abundant water supply the whole year round, rich in wildlife of various species, plentiful aqua marine products along its reefs and shallow seas, and match with the caring, hospitable, in pleasant bonding and peace-loving members of the community. But after series of mineral explorations, many things have changed and unluckily, it was never for the betterment of the people at stake nor for the future. A fire razed thousands of hectares of the Island’s lush forest covers followed by mineral extraction from small scale to large scale. To date, aside from those which have already established their claims, applicants for small scale mining paraded to get their slice of pie in Homonhon and eventually overturn the remaining forest covers, the farms and farmlands and watersheds into hollow graves. The prospects of a good and civil future is threatened as exhaustion or annihilation of resources that are essential to life takes its toll.

 

          Mining operations in the Island resulted in heavy siltation on creeks and waterways, drying out and possible contamination of water supply; the corrals and reefs and sea beds  causing the nearby seas to blur and there,  wiping out stable marine lives and driving out fishes to far oceans, hence depleting the income of fisher folks. The denudation of the mountains causes soil erosion and imminent landslides and its outright exposure of the soil to sunlight triggers extensive heat that may somehow contribute to the worsening state of global warming, the displacement and extinction of birds and other wild life that once hover and dwelt in the Island which presence had contributed a great deal for its sound and balanced eco-system. It also resulted in the division among residents, and conflict within the families and friends. It is also figured out as an avenue for corruption.

 

          Alarmed by the drastic move of these mining firms/entities, pro-mining residents, some high profile local officials propelling for an abrupt mineral extraction in the Island, concerned residents with the support of the church, some LGU members and other alliances spearheaded by Homohon Environment Rescuers Organization – HERO, are taking all the necessary steps  and available means to stop and permanently close the Island from mining through passing several petitions, other valid and legal means such as seeking support and promotion of agriculture and aquaculture, reforestation, eco and historical tourism and official declaration from National Historical Commission making Homonhon Island as one of the most important landmark on Philippine history.

 

 

AREA PROFILE

 

          Located at the southeastern part mainland of Guiuan, Homonhon Island is well known among nearby places for its big and violent waves and a very strong sea current being exposed directly to the Pacific Ocean. It is exceptionally blessed with the abundance of natural resources, beautiful sceneries, white beaches, rare and first class timber woods such as the Magkono tree which is named ‘steel tree’ due to its extraordinary hardness etc,. But the event that occurred in this Island is one worthy enough to defend, protect and preserve the Island for this is a heritage that touches every Filipinos’ lives because, according to history books, Philippine and World, and corroborated by the passages of the elders of the place, though theirs did not care for dates, Ferdinand Magellan and his crew did first landed in Homonhon Island on March 16, 1521 that leads to the discovery of the Philippine Islands. Then and there they replenish their supply of water and food and made appropriate ceremonies they were obliged to do as Christians. Hence, Homonhon Island was the first and foremost place that got to embrace the atmosphere and touch of Christianity. It serves as a room for the birth of a new country, “the Philippine Islands” then gives us a national identity. “We are Filipinos”, and  it all begun in Homonhon Island, and it is mining that might stamp out our rich and famous historical heritage.

 

          In gist, Homonhon Island’s historical importance is priceless and as history echoes, we can say that Homonhon Island is FAMOUS, “ Famous but forgotten by either local or national blindness.

 

          For these, WE, HOMONHONANONS, hereby solicits and pray for all possible support and assistance from all Filipinos especially our Church leaders and concerned government agencies to (1) help us make a call to all concerned government agencies to bequeath Homonhon a mining-free Island, because, mining in the Island never addresses to the development of the place and its people but it poses dangers and threats and violates the rights and interests of its people for their manner and means of subsistence and existence; instead, give assistance for its agricultural development and make the Island as the agricultural basin in the region and promote eco and historical tourism; (2) help us in pursuing our national government and the National Historical Commission to create a Bill officially recognizing Homonhon Island as one of the most important landmark on Philippine History for it was where Ferdinand Magellan and his crew did first landed on March 16,1521 that leads to the discovery of the Philippines and give birth to Christianity over the land. Then and there, everyone, most especially the national government would be obliged to care, preserve and protect the Island’s natural beauty and resources and directly be involved in the management, maintenance, preservation of its environment for Christianity, history and future’s sake.

 

 

                

                                                     By:

                         

                                                              VILLARDO C. ABUEME

                                                                        President

                                           Homonhon Environment Rescuers Organization

                                                 Homonhon, Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar

         

Homonhon : a call for help and support

For the case in court filed against us, we are calling for help and assistance from all principle oriented people, the Church and NGOs in order for us to comute towards peace and justice for the Island of Homonhon and to all of those who are experiencing the same fate as ours. We always rely our strength from your ardent support.

God Bless us all! 

On our campaigns against mining activities in Homonhon Island, we sensed that everything was taken lightly by the concerned government agencies and our political leaders. we shift into a more drastic move as to mass action so as to waken up those concerned that we are serious on our cause, aggravated by the posting of "no trespassing" signs on our farms and farmlands, posting guards and barricades on access roads, mineral explorations within the farms and hillsides on which actions intimidated and angered the concerned populace, its return as expected, was a case filed in court against us; Arson and Robbery. Among those around 200 participants, only 18 persons was charged and of course I cannot discount the issue of politics even in the barangay level. Even an official in the municipal government of Guiuan had openly expressed to some of those who actively participated in the mass action that they should never listen and follow me. Aweful, fro that was answered that if they may be in our situation, when they are deprived with their livelihood which is farming, they may also did what they have done. Here we talking about life and existence and it is a basic right of every human person.

Concerned constituents in Homonhon believe in the cause we're fighting for and we had joined together and formed into an organization and we named it as HERO - Homonhon Environment Rescuers Organization, which aimed to rescue the environemnt and inhabitants in Homonhon Island from massive environmental and popular destruction. I admit that there are visible concrete projects that the mining company had tried to built, but could we try to compensate the losses and the valuation of many resources that had been affected and depleted due to the mining operations? for the water system alone, for the approximate 7,000 residents, if each of them drinks a minimum of 1/2 liter a day and the price of which in bottled water is P5.00, if we may be obliged to purchase it because the water system is no more safe for consumption, how much is the loss of Homonhon Island to drinking water alone for one day? 7,000 x P5.00 is equivalent to P35,000.00 per day, and is equivalent to P1,050,000.00/mo and is equivalent to P12,600.00/year for drinking water alone. How about the other communal uses of water in the households, shall it compensate to the "benefits" that the area got from mining operations? For how many years are we going to endure for such shortage or inavailability? five, ten twenty years? And to all other violations or curtailment to the rights of the whole populace of Homonhon caused by mining, how much is the actual losses of its people everyday, month and year. I believe there's a need to review and re-study the actual losses of the people compared to every benifit the community gets from mining operations.

I had started rallying against the mining operations in Homonhon Island way back on 1996 and i have endured in so many  indignations on my person and I admit I felt so very intimidated by those but giving up seeemed to me as equivalent to murdering myself.

The time when a family member of ours working overseas had financed me to build a new house, a mining company allegedly showed a document to the pro mining people in our place notably bearing "signature" that I have allegedly recieved Three Million Pesos (3M) as a payoff for not going against them and any other personal thing that they could meant to defame, harrass and intimidate me.

The tactics were there -  divide and rule for their own benifit, the playing with the laws of the land because some government agencies and political leaders mean business, and the culture of 

capitalism over and against the marginalized sector of society.

With these, this kind of struggles will never die, only life will, but it shall never fail, for we understand that the world can never be enough for those who are so greedy.

  

Mining in Homonhon Island: a mount of calvary to all

Homonhon Island is part of the municipality of Guiuan, Province of Eastern Samar, located at the southernmost part of Guiuan and is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. It has a total land area of more or less 7,400 sq. has, composed of 8 barangays with an average population of 7,000 people. It cradles a vast and rich aqua-marine, coasftal and upland and mineral resources and it has great potential for agricultural, eco and historical tourism development. It is basically a fishing and farming community.

In my lifetime, I have seen and experienced the serenity and tranquilty of the Island, the Island where I have first seen the light and raised, along with the simpleness of times, inahabitants seemed to live as the more liesured people and was almost untouch by the pressures of the outside world. The abundance of food and other necessities was dependent on how one peresevere to acquire it and needless to say that that those who were industrious enough rose to the rank of popularity

Mining comes and it diverts the actual setting of Homonhon Island. the traditional living condition has turned into a capitalist standards where every one has to pay for every cost of his/her existence and this will be my subject even if it cost me myself and my own existence!