STATEMENT OF THE ORDER OF CARMELITES ON THE 174-HECTARE RECLAMATION PROJECT IN DUMAGUETE CITY
“This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.”
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 2
The venerable and ancient religious Order of Carmelites in the Philippines, through the Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation – Social Action Commission, joins the deafening opposition of Dumagueteños to the environmentally-destructive 174-hectare reclamation fronting the historically and environmentally-significant Dumaguete Boulevard.
We have been made stewards of nature, in exchange, nature offers to us its gifts to nurture us and to care for us. But we are to take only that which we need and the rest we are to take care of for the future generation.
To take more than what we need is to rob from the future generation.
It seems, however, that with the PhP23.35-billion Smart City project of the administration of Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, the future generation of Dumagueteños will be robbed of what is to be theirs. While the good mayor denies that the project will drastically affect the marine eco-system of the city’s coastline, scientists and environmentalists assert that this is not true, saying in a statement that the project “will negatively impact these biodiverse-rich MPAs (marine protected areas) directly or indirectly and will disturb the vertical connectivity between the shore/shallow to deeper species assemblage,” citing a 2020 scientific study. The marine protected areas that will be affected, according to the statement, “are part of a system of protected coral reefs, seagrass beds, and soft-sediment ecosystems that are meant to boost fisheries productivity, conserve marine biodiversity, and support tourism in Negros Oriental and the Central Visayas area.”
With this, we feel that it is our responsibility as Catholic Christians to ensure that these treasures would be protected for the future generations. The good Mayor and his council believe that they are doing this for the future generation, but let us be reminded of the challenge of Pope Francis when he wrote: “Is it realistic to hope that those who are obsessed with maximizing profits will stop to reflect on the environmental damage which they will leave behind for future generations? Where profits alone count, there can be no thinking about the rhythms of nature, its phases of decay and regeneration, or the complexity of ecosystems which may be gravely upset by human intervention.”
So we ask the good Mayor, “Are you truly thinking of the future generation?”
We are one with the Dumaguete Bishop, the Most Reverend Julito Cortes, D.D., in calling for the abandonment of the project and to stop using the poor in the selfish motives of politicians and businessmen lobbying the projects, for as the good Bishop said, “It is a sin to abuse the poor to satisfy one’s greed.”
Development is good, but we pray that with this, we will not be destroying the future of our city who will now be denied of the fruits of the rich biodiverse marine life of the city’s coastline – the young Dumagueteños.
This is our call. This is our prayer.
Fr. Christian B. Buenafe, O.Carm.
Convener, JPIC – Social Action Commission
Commissioner, International O.Carm. JPIC Comm.
Fr. Rico P. Ponce, O.Carm.
Prior Provincial
Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation- Social Action Commission
ORDER OF CARMELITES
Philippine Province of Blessed Titus Brandsma
Quezon City, Philippines
August 12, 2021, Memorial of Blessed Isidore Bakanja
*In the Philippines, the Order of Carmelties started in Diocese of Dumaguete through the invitation of Bishop Epifanio Surban and continues to serve the Diocese through the Carmelite nuns, active sisters, and the lay Carmelites.
📸 From dumaguetecity.gov.ph.