The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is constructing a four-lane highway — an east diversion road project — to help solve traffic congestion in Zamboanga City but in the end, taking away the very homes, cultures, and land of our people. 

The project includes the construction of a viaduct that now CUTS THROUGH THE ANCESTRAL DOMAIN OF THE SAMA BANGUINGUI.

Why do we always prioritize vehicles and capitalism over humanity and nature.

The red lines signify the community projects such as seaweed farming, eco-tourism, and cottages that fund the protection and regeneration of the surrounding mangroves that have been alive for centuries. The community is even open to discussing how to by pass their livelihood programs and are asking for mere compensation of the damages and loss of land but nothing has been done for reparations.

The red line you see on this screen is what DPWH is proposing that cuts through various islands that are ancestral domain of the Sama Banguingui Communties . 

These are the cottages and seaweed farms, including their mangrove forest that has been alive for centuries and is the soul of their indigenous practices. All to be destroyed by the four-lane highway. How do you call this development when it takes away the very soul of a people.

9 Billion pesos that could be spent regenerating nature-based livelihoods, and instead used as a means to divert traffic - a sorry excuse for terrible design and urban planning. 

Words from Kah Nas, Indigenous Leader & Elder of the Sama Banguingui:

Nais ko pong idulog ang mga seryosong suliranin na kinakaharap ng aming komunidad sa kasalukuyan hinggil sa aming Ancestral Domain (AD):

​Talamak na Land Grabbing: Patuloy ang iligal na pagpapatitulo ng mga bahagi ng aming nasasakupan, partikular na ang mga baybayin, karagatan, at bakawan (mangroves).

​Isyu sa DPWH Project at FPIC: Hindi po kami tutol sa proyekto ng DPWH. Ang amin pong tinututulan ay ang kasalukuyang alignment nito. Ang disenyo ay dadaan sa gitna ng aming komunidad (isang malaking skyway), pati na sa aming mga ilog at bakawan. May inihain po kaming alternatibong alignment na malayo sa tirahan ng mga tao at kalikasan, ngunit hindi ito pinakinggan. Dahil dito, hindi kami nagbigay ng Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).

​Epekto ng Kawalan ng FPIC: Dahil sa hindi namin paglagda sa FPIC, lalong sumiklab at naging agresibo ang land grabbing sa loob ng aming Ancestral Domain.

​Umaasa po kami sa inyong agarang aksyon at pag-imbestiga sa usaping ito upang maprotektahan ang aming karapatan at ang kalikasan.

Isa pa naging problema ng Community. Uma asa po Ang lahat na may Compensation Ang Right of way Dagat man or Lupa kasi yun po Ang Batas ngunit wala zero. Gustu lang nila gamiting pero pano po Ang Community? Na sana Pwede namin ma improve Ang Aming Community na Ngayon halos lumu lubug na sa Dagat. Unfair naman Kung Ang iba may Compensation Amin wala?

this call is supported by Kids for Kids Philippines, For the Future, and Kids Who Farm — we invite organisations to join us, email kidsforkids@tayo.com.ph and send us your logo