Chico River Project

Title of the Case : The Chico River Project

I. Case Summary : The Kalinga and Bontoc people’s struggle since the early 70’s against the construction of the Chico River Dam Project which was the priority project of President Marcos during the Martial Law. The said project is supposed to be funded by World Bank and the National Power Corporation (NPC) was to implement the project. The Chico River is one of the major rivers in the Cordillera that’s why thousands of villagers rely on the river for the irrigation of their rice fields and personal consumption. The project will generate electricity for most of the area along Chico River but will submerge several villages and hectares of rice fields. Thus resulted to a strong opposition of the affected people. One of whom that strongly opposed the said project is Apo Pangat Macli-ing Dulag, leader of the Butbut tribe which is one of the affected tribe upon implementation of the project. He believed that the dam is to bring destruction to his people and that the Kalingas will not really be the beneficiaries of the electrification but the foreigners and the capitalists. His strong stand for opposing the project led to his death. Thus his death brought fear to the people but giving them an inspiration to continue the fight of Macli-ing Dulag.

II. Point of View : Manuel Elizalde

Presidential Assistance on National Minorities (PANAMIN)

III. Time Context : After the death of Apo Pangat Macli-ing Dulag.

IV. Problem : How to settle the opposition of the Kalinga people on the construction of Chico River Dam Project?

V. Objectives

a. To make the indigenous people aware of the intention of the project as a whole and not merely as a destruction of their community.

b. To integrate economic growth with conservation of cultural heritage.

c. To convince the people of Kalinga in accepting the Chico Dam Project.

VI. Areas of Consideration

External...