Haribon Foundation features women in the book “STORIES from the MINES… of struggle, sisterhood and solidarity” released by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM); these are the women “who

continue to campaign for human dignity, biodiversity conservation and sustainable communities.”

October 3, 2007, Sibuyan Island, Romblon.

Many people were already gathered outside a vacant lot in Sitio Olango that early morning packed with their usual campaign paraphernalia (banners and placards) stating their opposition against the proposed Sibuyan Nickel Project.

The hundred strong demonstrators were determined to block the way of the mining staff who were supposed to conduct an inventory of trees that will be cut for the project. That situation was very unusual for that peaceful place; the grazing land on the other side of the road remained calm with the soft breeze of the air while the towering Mount Guiting-guiting seemed to be watching them silently.

Few blocks away where the people gathered was the humble house of Perlita Palomar, or Mamay, for her children and other offspring in the island, who on that time was very busy entertaining her visitor.

Mamay, 65, was already prepared to join the rally when Armin Marin stepped in her front yard. She had nothing to serve for the municipal councilor but coffee and then they talked. Marin thanked her for always joining their demonstration despite her age.

“Magpakatibay ka [Be strong] Mamay,” these were the last words she heard from Marin. Mamay did not know that that short conversation with the councilor would also be the last for them.

At 10 a.m., Marin got an encounter with the staff from the mining company, was shot on his mouth and died on the road to the hospital. People grieved over the loss of a great environmental activist. They were crying. Some were mad and even hysteric on what had happened. Since the day Marin was killed, Mamay would always bring flowers and light candles on the exact place where Marin lost his life. She would go over there to pray and talk to Marin, remembering that they are fighting for the same cause, protecting the island of Sibuyan.

A day after the incident while she was washing her clothes, music came to her ears with words retelling what she saw on the day that Marin was killed. The tune that kept playing on her mind and the expression that she arranged on her memory suddenly became a song dedicated to Marin. That song that she had composed has a very slow melody with a feel of 1950’s music suited for classic movies. Very similar with old Filipino symphony, her song is more than just an expression of feeling; it was a sad narration of murder, a call for justice and strong will to end the intrusion of mining in Sibuyan. To give the song a perfect melody, she worked with a young man in the town for the guitar accompaniment.

She first sang the song on the wake of Marin. The mourning crowd stood in silence as they rekindle the last memories of Marin in the rally when a man working in the mining company called him, grabbed his shirt and hit the gun on his mouth. Since then, Mamay had been invited to perform her piece in any gathering where the people want to hear it again; she would go to other barangay and even in other island to perform. The song was loved by many not only because it calls justice for Armin Marin but also for the people of Sibuyan who had been crying out loud to stop the entry of large-scale mining in their beloved island.

Mamay is now 70, sometimes she is weak already but she continues to campaign against mining in Sibuyan. She had joined in several rallies after Marin was put to rest. She rides in jeepneys and walks long hours with the other protesters. She probably can no longer shout on top of her lungs but her soulful voice when she sings and her song are that the best things that she can give to the campaign.

Today, when tourists and other visitors go to the monument that people had built in memory of Marin, Mamay will be there. She will not just talk about the flowers she planted around the memorial, or the candles that she lighted around it at night, or the people trying to convince her to stop from what she is doing in the campaign since she is old already—she will sing with all her heart in the melody that she created on her own and with a trembling voice. Because even though she has sung the song many times, she will always feel the pain of losing a great but gentle person who reminded her to be strong on their fight to conserve their beautiful island.
 
(The writer is ATM’s Media and Communications Officer.)