TUGUEGARAO City, Cagayan, March 10, 2015—A priest from the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao has alerted the faithful on the natural calamities that might strike Cagayan anytime soon should illegal mining operations in the province continue, urging them to push for the end of these activities before it’s too late.
In an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas, Fr. Augustus King S. Calubaquib, head of the episcopal see’s Social Action Center (SAC), appealed for the cessation of all projects detrimental to the environment like blacksand mining already rampant in the coastal towns of Cagayan.
Most disaster-prone
According to the 5th Annual Natural Hazards Risk Atlas, Cagayan places second out of ten Philippine provinces most prone to natural disasters.
Moreover, a study conducted by Verisk Maplecroft shares Tuguegarao, Cagayan’s capital city, also ranks among the most calamity-exposed cities of the country.
Fearing the worst
Given these findings, the cleric fears the worst once the planned coal-fueled power plant has been built in the province.
He warned all Cagayanos against big businessmen who might woo them into accepting the proposal at the expense of the province’s rich natural resources.
Stewards of creation
Calubaquib went on to assure the Cagayan faithful the Church vehemently opposes all elements that seek to destroy the integrity of creation whose stewards they supposedly are.
Even as the Church promises to monitor the situation from the forefront, the priest stressed she needs to know that the public is just right behind her in this endeavor. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)
