BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
IT’S GOING deeper, but getting plangent.
This is probably the current status of a row between Victorias Milling Company (VMC) and Save Purisima Movement (SPM) over the alleged air and water pollution caused by the former’s distillery plant in Barangay Purisima, Manapla, Negros Occidental.
This, as San Carlos City Bishop Gerardo Alminaza has “surprisingly” signified intention to dip into the woe.
The Green Alert Negros (GAN) is confident, too, that VMC will face the consequences sooner.
But quite baffling to note that Negros Occidental’s 2nd District Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva seems to be “elusive” or “at loose” on VMC-SPM tiff.
The town of Manapla belongs to Alminaza’s diocese and Cueva’s district.
In his private message sent to my Facebook (FB) account, Bishop Alminaza said, “Hi Ambo I’ll be willing to help but just now I have ordinations & retreat to give but count me in.”
Was it a message sent by heaven?
Well, everybody knows Bishop Alminaza is a no-nonsense servant of God.
He’s a staunch advocate on environmental protection and conservation.
In fact, he was instrumental in blocking the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant by San Miguel Power Corporation supposedly to be erected in San Carlos City.
Negrenses admired him for his non-negotiable stance against (any) coal-fired power plant in Negros.
This, as he stressed, “I am in this for the long term and I am willing to give my life for this.”
During the Environment Summit held in Cagayan de Oro on Feb. 26-28, 2020, the bishop was also noted for his quotable quotes as keynote speaker.
He told the audiences: “It’s now time to start acting conscientiously to make a better living environment for future generations to come.”
But the loudest claps were heard when he asked for forgiveness from the present and future generations of Filipinos for his generation’s flaw that have germinated lots of environmental woes that put people lives at risk.
Then he dared everyone in the summit to act like Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist who, at a young age, challenged world leaders to take immediate actions for climate change mitigation.
Thus, aside from being tagged as pro-poor, environmentalists also hailed Bishop Alminaza as “Bishop of the Environment”.
Hence, his imminent “landing” in Purisima is eagerly-awaited now.
Is he a heaven-sent?
While GAN’s Rusty Binas stressed, “They (VMC) have violation(s), therefore, they have to face consequences. We are with the people.”
He said they have close coordination with Group of Environment Socialist (GOES), a group helping SPM.
Purisimanhons, however, are “itching” to see or hear Cueva speak on the issue.
They said fish kill happens in Sicaba river from time-to- time, and blamed the distillery’s wastewater.
Cueva is the current chair of the House’s Committee on Aquaculture and Fishery Resources. Thus, it behooves him to look into the matter seriously.
Meanwhile, Emalyn Apacible, head of VMC’s environmental conservation department, announced, “VMC Distillery and VMC as a whole have already started formulating the Climate Change Action Plan.”
It includes reducing carbon emissions and continuous planting of carbon sequestering plants.
VMC distillery, she confided, has a 173-hectare carbon sink forest (CSF) planted with Acacia mangium already.
VMC is also utilizing giant bamboo as a rapid-growing and fast-carbon absorbing plant in its monthly tree planting activity within the surrounding areas of the distillery, she said.
Thus, around 4,000 trees were already planted around the aeration and irrigation ponds of the distillery.
“There are likewise plans to expand to nearby neighborhoods to achieve a bigger positive impact on the air environment.”
But not enough yet to avert pollutions, SPM countered.
“VMC must stop its operations now,” the group asserted.
“Malo-oy sila sa pumuluyo, sobra na ang ila baho!”
But Apacible said VMC’s Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) is active in assessing their operations and progress, including their green initiatives.
SPM members, however, nixed Apacible anew. They said none from their group was invited to join MMT, considering that SPM is the aggrieved party.
VMC’s Investors Relations Manager Ann Tiongco denied SPM’s claim.
“We have invited them thrice, but none appeared. In fact, MMT is open and willing to accept anyone from SPM.”
She said, “MMT reports are also open to public for anyone to see and read.”
Not true, commented SPM member Randy Bacaron. They said MMT members were just selected by Manapla Mayor Manolet Escalante.
Thus, SPM member Reynaldo Zapa, in a radio interview over RPN’s dyKB, stressed “Mangin anay (termite) kami nga maga-ut-ut sa VMC.”
Meanwhile, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 6 is currently in “deep silence” on the dispute.
While the Department of Agriculture (DA) also in the region tasked Engr. Moises Mana-ay to assess on whether the “exceedance” of effluents found in the wastewater of the distillery used as fertilizer in various haciendas in Manapla is hazardous or not.
He is yet to respond.
Well, I do hope for EMB’s and DA’s prompt action(s) on the Purisima row.
Because, “It’s horrifying that we have to fight our own government to the environment,” noted American photographer Ansel Easton Adams.
“Environmental conscience” (EC) is the key here.
VMC must revisit its EC to better understand the “fragility” of environment and the importance of its protection for human, plant and animal existence within the peripheries of its distillery plant.
It also needs to employ the “Mother-and-Infant” approach in addressing the mess.
Because if there’s still someone “crying”, it’s bad for business, hence, VMC needs to learn how to be a “Hush Master”.
And even the Bible (in Proverbs 21:13) says, “Hear the cries of the poor.”
“Because whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered,” added the Holy Writ./PN
