The Philippine Jesuits have been walking in solidarity with some 3,000 families whose lands and livelihoods are threatened by the construction of a special economic zone in the Aurora province of the Philippines.

Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), the social justice arm of the Philippine Jesuits, visited the town of Casiguran in October.  During the four-day solidarity mission from October 13 to 16, SLB visited communities of poor farmers, fisher folk and indigenous peoples who have been opposing the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) since its creation by law in 2007, and vast expansion in 2010.

APECO is a 12,923-hectare special economic zone that has long been accused in the Philippine and international media of large-scale corruption and the systematic wastage of public funds. Throughout 2013, SLB has served as the coordinator of the national church-based movement to stop APECO’s operations, having been instrumental in the 350-km protest march of Casiguran residents against the megaproject in late 2012.

Due to its involvement in anti-APECO advocacy efforts, SLB has been at the forefront of engagements with government agencies such as the Supreme Court, the Philippine Senate, the National Economic Development Authority, and the Department of Agrarian Reform; and key social organizations such as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, and Ateneo de Manila University. Last December, Philippine Cardinal and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle expressed firm support and solidarity for the cause of Casiguran’s distressed residents.

 “The APECO issue that SLB and other Filipino Jesuits have been involved in is a very important and timely one on two levels,” said Fr Xavier Alpasa SJ, SLB executive director. “On one hand, it brings to light key problems with the present development trajectory of the country at large, despite the Philippine government’s alleged commitment towards ‘inclusive growth.”

 “On the other, it reveals important developments of the Philippine Roman Catholic Church in its mission of truly becoming a ‘church of the poor’. From its beginnings up to the present, the anti-APECO advocacy has been something that has been supported and fostered through the efforts of the local and national Catholic Church. It is a clear case of how the challenge to espouse a faith that does justice can be realized in practice,” he added.

Watch a documentary on the anti-APECO struggle that was produced by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ditsi Carolino. 

For more information, contact Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) at slb.ph.