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Condemning recent Baguio tree balling
Youth slam Sy’s ‘corporate greed’, Aquino’s ‘noynoying’ on Earth Day

Youth and students stormed SM Calamba today condemning the SM Group of Companies prime owner Henry Sy’s ‘corporate greed’. The protesters also slammed Aquino government’s ‘noynoying’ on Earth Day amidst series of protests condemning environmental destruction by the “rich and powerful few”.

“For the youth, today is a day of protest,” said Maria Paula Sarigumba, chairperson of the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources Student Council. “We witness how the likes of Henry Sy continuously gain millions of profit at the expense of our environment. What’s at stake here is our future.”

“The environment is one of our most precious inheritances from the present generation,” Sarigumba said, “We will not allow that our children can no longer thrive in an environment with clean air, potable water and beautiful biodiversity because corporate greed extracted all our rich natural resources in the name of profit.”

“Aside from the Baguio tree balling that will pave the way for SM Baguio expansion, we are also condemning Henry Sy’s land grabbing in Hacienda Looc, which will convert chiefly agricultural lands to golf courses, club houses and ports,” said Carla Bertulfo, member of Kabataan Partylist-Southern Tagalog.

Bertulfo expressed support with the on-going protest of farmers and fisher folks in the four barangays covered by the Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas. They condemned SM Development Corporation’s land-use conversion affecting 2,052 farmers in Barangay Calayo alone, Bertulfo added.

Meanwhile, the protesters also called for the scrapping of the Mining Act 1995, which they accused of legalizing foreign large-scale mining companies’ “plunder” of domestic mineral resources. “The crafting of the People’s Mining Bill is a breakthrough and, thus, our prime advocacy on mining issue,” Bertulfo said.

“The bill, unlike the existing Mining Act, is centered on people’s welfare and environmental sustainable development rather than profit motive,” she added.

On the glaring environmental destruction, the protesters expressed dissatisfaction towards the Aquino government’s “lack of appropriate action”. “As usual, Mr. Aquino is ‘noynoying’ on this day. Instead of upholding national patrimony and environmental protection, he turned a blind eye on the potential coral reef destruction in Palawan due to Balikatan exercises’ plans to have live ammunitions underwater,” she continued.

“We are resolved to bring the issue of environmental destruction to a widespread protest. This is the beginning of our series of protest actions that will culminate on May 1, as we celebrate international Labor Day,” Bertulfo said. ###

For further details, please contact Christina Madeja at 09058915908 or visit www.anakbayanuplb.wordpress.com

From Facebook posing of Mon Ramirez

SM Baguio has this paid ad that  it has promoted in many networks in viral fashion.
It says: How can SM Baguio's redevelopment plan help the city and its environment?
SM City Baguio will plant 60,000 pine trees:
      - 10,000 trees in 2012
      - 50,000 trees in the next 3 years
It claims it has planted over 8,000 pine saplings,
 

Question:
How can uprooting 182 venerable pine trees in the Luneta Hill to give way to a parking lot help the city and its environment?

Let SM plant 60,000 pine saplings, even 600,000, but do not let SM uproot 182 venerable pine trees in exchange for a parking lot. No logic there.

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From :SAVE 182 Movement:
Luneta Hill is one of the very few remaining forested areas in Baguio,and is home to mature pine trees that continue to provide breathable air in the other wise already heavy polluted Central Business District.

Luneta Hill is where a mall,SM City Baguio,stands and wants to expand,which would affect 182 mature trees in the area.The environmental impact of their expansion plan will greatly affect the community and the well-being of the People.
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