Something very interesting happened last Sunday. I may have mentioned before that the controversial company Hedcor is building a hydro-electric power plant in the heart of Mount Apo. Last Sunday, one of their bulldozers slipt into the ravine during a landslide...
Why is this interesting? Well, Hedcor has been criticized for a number of things. Environmentalists fear that the construction of roads, the building of a dam and the divergence of water from the Sibulan and Baroring rivers are going to affect the whole ecological balance of Mount Apo. One of the consequences of clearing an area is that the soil becomes prone to erosion and land slides. Having one of your bulldozers topple into the ravine during heavy rain is - to say the least - bad publicity for a company that claims its project does not harm the environment.
The incident is also interesting because it strenghtens the conviction of the indigenous people that the gods are angry. Because Hedcor is building its plant on sacred ground, it is messing with the gospel and challenging the gods. The torn of the gods is called 'gaba' in Bagobo.
But the most interesting thing about the whole matter is how everyone sees his truth reflected in this event. Even if the whole matter is just a simple twist of faith, people will attribute meaning to it. It keeps the discussion alive, doesn't it? By the way, no one got hurt in the incident, fortunately.
Why is this interesting? Well, Hedcor has been criticized for a number of things. Environmentalists fear that the construction of roads, the building of a dam and the divergence of water from the Sibulan and Baroring rivers are going to affect the whole ecological balance of Mount Apo. One of the consequences of clearing an area is that the soil becomes prone to erosion and land slides. Having one of your bulldozers topple into the ravine during heavy rain is - to say the least - bad publicity for a company that claims its project does not harm the environment.
The incident is also interesting because it strenghtens the conviction of the indigenous people that the gods are angry. Because Hedcor is building its plant on sacred ground, it is messing with the gospel and challenging the gods. The torn of the gods is called 'gaba' in Bagobo.
But the most interesting thing about the whole matter is how everyone sees his truth reflected in this event. Even if the whole matter is just a simple twist of faith, people will attribute meaning to it. It keeps the discussion alive, doesn't it? By the way, no one got hurt in the incident, fortunately.
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