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Semirara blockade

01-06-2001.
JUDGE Nery Duremdes of the Regional Trial Court of Antique last Wednesday (Jan. 3) extended to 20
days the threeday temporary restraining order (TRO) he issued Dec. 29 against the MMDA and
company. The flotilla of barges carrying Metro Manila's wastes will not proceed to Semirara Isle at
least up to about Jan. 24.

Judge Duremdes' TRO has saved from embarrassment the people in four provinces - Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo - that have scheduled in January 2001 their traditional and colorful yearly festivals. 

The most popular of these festivals are Ati-atihan in Aklan, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Binirayan in Antique.
Thousands of domestic and foreign visitors will start the exodus to Panay this week to participate and view the festivities. 

From his capitol office in San Jose de Buenavista Gov. Exequiel B. Javier of Antique telephoned this writer: "More than 1,000 fishing boat owners organized provincewide will meet the barges and their cargo of Metro Manila's waste to prevent them from dumping garbage on Semirara. This will be a 'peaceful people's blockade.' I cannot guarantee the garbage contractors' safety if they force their way to dump their cargo and break the blockade. I have only a few guards to maintain order in the ranks of thousands of our people, who cannot take insults to their pride despite their poverty." 

To save Panay Island from further embarrassment and humiliation the provincial and municipal officials of four provinces passed separate resolutions condemning the MMDA and other national officials for their neglect and incompetence in solving Metro Manila's garbage dilemma through the decades, not just years. 

To two crusading young Antiqueños (Giddy Javier and Zosimo Pefianco Jr) dumping Manila's waste on Semirara by force will create a complex problem: "Insulting our province can revive wartime memories when our resistance fighters led by Gen. Macario Peralta routed the Japanese Imperial Army and forced its surrender in Iloilo in January 1945." 

Worst hit by MMDA's garbage "vision" is the world famous resort of Boracay Isle, about 15 miles east of
Semirara. Resort operators blame MMDA officials for not familiarizing themselves with "even an old copy of our road map." 

Orlando Sakay, owner of Boracay's Waling Waling Beach Hotel, said: "MMDA's waste plan is far worse than the Coliform scare that converted this island into a ghost town three years ago." (MB, Jan. 5, 2001, p. D-3) Boracay is facing Semirara and during the southwest monsoon months (June to October) the prevailing wind shifts in the direction of the resort island." Sakay added: "Boracay cannot survive another beating from the international press - like the E. coli scare. This time it's poison from a nearby dumpsite on Semirara that will kill our business." 

What most bureaucrats in imperial Manila don't seem to realize is this: Dumping poisonous waste on a Western Visayan islet is not a good bargain in the interest of the country's economy. 

This region has an attractive tourism program that regularly delivers tourism dollars throughout the year. Is shifting dirt from Luzon to the Visayas of any visible benefit to the country? 

This is deliberately giving an unwanted black eye to the region and nation and devoid of any compensating benefit to both our economy and people.