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CIVIL SOCIETY AGAINST MINING ON PALAWAN, THE PHILIPPINES
By: ALDAW NETWORK
Posted: May 16 10
Witnessed: 1770 times
Regions: Philippines
Issues: Corporations and human rights, Environment, Indigenous peoples
Tags: deforestation, ECAN CORE ZONES, indigenous peoples, MacroAsia Corporation, mining, Palawan, Philippines
On August 27, 2009 a peaceful demonstration was organized in the Barangay proper of Brookes Point Municipality to protest against the possible endorsement of MacroAsia by the Sangunyan Bayan (Municipal Board). The municipal government has been accused of bypassing local decision-making process, while avoiding consultations with the affected communities. Other demonstrations against MacroAsia will take place in the coming months. In his effort to save Palawan, ALDAW Network highly recommend national and foreign entrepreneurs not to invest their capitals in MacroAsia listed shares. To have more information on the man behind MacroAsia, please read information below: "Lucio Tan is the Philippines richest man and one of the richest in Asia, with a personal net worth of at least $1.5 billion, but he still has to pay the government P7.8 billion. He also has extensive investments in China and Hong Kong. The way in which he has made his billions perfectly illustrates the crony capitalism that has plagued the Philippines over the past four decades. Indeed, he learned and succeeded to navigate the murky waters of business and politics under the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. His first employment was at a cigarette factory. Very soon, he opened his own company, Himmel Industries, which thrived since it manufactured glycerin an ingredient essential to tobacco, but was then being imported by the major cigarette companies. Despite advice to the contrary, he put up a cigarette company of his own in 1965, Fortune Tobacco. With Fortune flourishing in the early 70s, Mr. Tan went full blast creating a diverse conglomerate. In 1970, he brought in from Taiwan advanced livestock-raising technology to set up Foremost Farms, one of the biggest hog farms in Asia. In 1992, the Ramos regime's privatization program allowed him to secretly take control of Philippines Airlines (PAL) through his 40% stake in PR Holdings, which had a controlling share in the national flag carrier. After a year, Tan increased his stake in PR Holdings to 50.03% by buying the shares of Andres Soriano. Then, he managed to have Antonio Cojuangco replaced as PAL Chairman and, in 1994, eventually took over the position. After buying the Philippine Airlines (PAL) he has fought non-stop dogfights with rival investors, government officials, unions and creditors while suffering year after year of losses".
For more information: survivalinternational.org/tribes/palawan Sign the online campaign to save Palawan:http://www.petitiononline.com/PA2010/petition.html
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