A new threat to the life and livelihood of peasants, indigenous Mangyan-Buhid, and residents at the border of San Jose and Rizal, Occidental Mindoro is the planned construction of a dam on the Kayakyan and Busuanga rivers. The Kayakyan is a major tributary of the Busuanga, one of the large rivers in the province.

Ten communities of indigenous Mangyan-Buhid directly depend on the Kayakyan river for their livelihood and daily needs. It also serves as a source for irrigation in at least seven barangays.

The Lipitan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project

The Lipitan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project aims to build two dams on the Kayakyan and Busuanga rivers to supposedly improve the irrigation system in the barangays of San Jose and Rizal. It is spearheaded by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) through the Irrigation Management Office of Occidental Mindoro.

In implementing the project, the fascist government outrightly disregarded its own bogus Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) law which requires getting the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous communities affected by the projects.

The said project planned to build two dams. First, the impounding dam which will collect water from the upstream part of the Kayakyan river.

Second, the “diversion dam” to be built on the Busuanga river at the border of the barangays Central of San Jose, Pitogo, and Santo Niño of Rizal. The second dam will divert the flow of water to reach the barangays closer to the center of San Jose.

The NIA boasts that the planned irrigation will “benefit” 6,676.20 hectares of farmland and 4,334 farmers. But the major purpose of the dam is hydropower that will generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity to supposedly address the large electricity supply shortage in Occidental Mindoro.

The project budget is estimated to reach ₱6.94 billion in loans funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Construction will begin in 2027 and is planned to be completed by 2032.

Plague to the Mindoreño masses

The project will affect an estimated over 40,000 people.

Five communities or approximately 1,400 indigenous Mangyan-Buhid will be evicted from their dwelling places and farmlands. Five more indigenous communities, with a population of 2,200, will be displaced due to their proximity to the river and the site of the planned dam itself.

Villages in the plains along the Busuanga river are also at risk. They are directly affected by flooding that the dam will cause whenever it releases a large volume. Even now, plains on the border of San Jose and Rizal already flood easily.

In 2024, residents rejected the said project offered to them by the local government. Despite this, 203rd IBde and police armed elements are forcing them to agree to the project. Due to their resistance, they are arbitrarily accused of being supporters of the New People’s Army. Even officials of the affected barangays and small business owners are being intimidated to prevent them from speaking out against the project.

Behind the suffering of ordinary people, millions of earnings are expected by private contractors who will grab contracts for the project and auxiliary infrastructure such as roads and bridges leading to the target area. Power concessionaires such as Ramon Ang’s San Miguel Corporation and Jolly Ting’s OrMin Power Inc will also amass profits from the energy the dam will generate.

The fascist forces of the 203rd Bde and police are deployed and constantly conduct operations to protect the area where the destructive dam project will rise. From Alab, revolutionary newspaper in Mindoro.