Kasibu: A PCIJ Video Documentary


Over the past week, newspapers reported about the volatile situation in Kasibu, Nueva Vixcaya where some of our kailiyans are fighting to prevent the continued exploration of an Australian mining firm in their community. Details at the following links: Scores hurt as residents, militiamen clash at mine site; Aussie firm told to stop exploration; and Bishop steps in as Vizcaya mining row gets violent.

Although things have calmed down a bit, the situation remains volatile. If the mining company pursues its plan to build a mine in the area, there is the danger that succeeding news reports from Kasibu will not only be about clashes but about deaths and bloodshed.

We hope to monitor the story in future posts. In the meantime, here’s a documentary by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) about the various indigenous peoples in Kasibu.

The area was originally populated by the Bugkalots. However, migrants from Benguet who were displaced because of big projects like the Ambuklao dam settled in the town. Ifugao woodcarvers also settled in the area. Most of the Bugkalots moved deeper into the mountains but some inter-married with the new arrivals.

Well, we’re not gonna tell it all since you are going to watch the video anyway. It provides a good background information on what’s happening in Kasibu these days.

UPDATE: Chyt has more info on what’s happening in Kasibu and a poem on how authorities refuse to see indigenous peoples and thus make us invisible. Read it here.

VIDEO CREDIT: PCIJ/ShavedAsian.

8 thoughts on “Kasibu: A PCIJ Video Documentary”

  1. Hello, kailyan. I can see and actually feel it(hehe) based on your blog that you are truly a damn proud Igorot. Great blog, you’re my idol. I’m looking forward to building my blog into one similar to yours. May kakompetensya ka na padli, hehe. I thought I’m the first Igorot blogger, ada gayam inmuna,haha. Enya metten. Ala kasi masyadong mga Igor bloggers kaya I decided to set up my own. Anyway, thanks for dropping by, padli. Matago-tago ka.

  2. Hi, Daniel, I join you in saying that this blog is great. Bill Bilig is THE trailblazer. FTB is the yardstick by which we measure the relevance and popularity of every other blog dealing with Igorot issues, with the same format as FTB. I visit the blogs of other Igorots; they are all remarkable and once more affirm what we’ve always known -Igorots are superlatively good in what they do. This notwithstanding, FTB is a class of its own.

    Will go to your blog once it is opened.

  3. This Glueria administration has got one gigantic impaired vision of where this country is heading to!! These foreigners are allowed to destroy Nueva Vizcaya’s ecology
    and environment, but it’s swell.
    It’s sorrowful listening to those folks in the video as they aren’t backing off, they will defend and ready to die for the ONLY THING they have, their own small piece of land….

  4. Hi Daniel,
    Hey, thanks for dropping by 🙂 It’s good that you set up your Igorot blog. Interestingly, back then, I was thinking of calling this blog Igorotak which is the name of your blog now. Great minds think alike ano? Hehe, kunwari great minds tayo.

    I’m not actually the first Igorot blogger cause there are many others (The Nashman, WilReyes, Kayni, Gandang Igorota, etc.) who came before me. Ay mayat a no ad-ado tayo nga Igorot bloggers, the more, the merrier. Thanks again.

    Hi Cheryl,
    Thanks. Class of its own, ha? I’d rather that all of us are in the same class hehe.

    Actually, Daniel already set up his blog. Click the following link: Igorot Country

    Hi Trublue,
    Yeah, it’s all about the dollars for Gloria even if she will sacrifice the lives of people. Too bad and too scary.

    Thanks.

  5. “patayin da ti tao”, kunana ketdin, laban kunam a. Is how accomodating the ibenguets are? Or awan ti ornos da.(shy mango?) This is the reason why Benguet was dam. It was also mined. While the other tribes resisted their supposed dam and mine, solidarity still exists in the culture due to passed tribal wars. Don’t get me wrong I’m a half ibesao and ibadoiey.

  6. Maybe it is the pagan beliefs of IPS that helped them preserve their nature. They believe that everything including mountain and stones has life that must be respected. But it is also the pagan beliefs that makes them subjects of oppression because they are not understood. Very much like the Indians of America.

  7. Hi Anonymous,
    Thanks. I think there may be deeper reasons why Benguet has dams and mines. For one thing, it is more accessible [and thus easier to penetrate] compared to the more interior Cordi provinces.

    But you are also correct in stressing the need for people to be on guard particularly against exploitative companies and to build solidarity among ourselves. Thanks again 🙂

    Hi Antonia,
    Thanks. You have good points there; our respect for life in everything is what makes us less environmentally destructive. Thanks again 🙂

  8. Hi to all kailian! I realy feel like home right here! Thanks for some genius Igorots who made this home for kailians in the cyber world which eventhually educate, intertain, inspire and help preserve many of our good cultural(Character) heritage. Oh yeah speaking about Kasibu Mining project, Kalay ngo? Aytan kaymansa? Ngantoy muwan ngay? Displacing displaced kailian is too much hard for them, If the real purpose behind this project is to help in the countrys economy, then the first people to be benifited should be the one directly affected? How about paying land owners according to their demand, giving them pensions, educational plan for the childrens, and building them a decent house to stay? This has been a generational problem but it seems the Government has not leared lessons from the past mistakes where a bunch of innocent blood had been shed because of criminal project implementation approach! But Hooops! kailian, I think there’s no need for more blood shed, face this fight in more civilized way I knew by Gods’ grace you can win and I believed that justice of God will prevail.

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