You might have remembered Macliing Dulag from the beloved 90’s children’s TV program ‘Bayani’.

Macliing was assassinated during the dictatorship of the Marcos regime for his opposition to the Chico River Dam Project in 1980.

According to the online Martial Law Museum, “Macli-ing Dulag was a respected elder of the Butbut tribe in the mountain village of Bugnay in the Cordilleras. He was considered wise and brave by those in the community, and he served three terms as barrio captain of Bugnay.”

“The people found their voice in Macli-ing Dulag. Though he was not formally educated, Dulag found the right words to defend his people. To this day, Dulag is known for his words against the dam project:

“Such arrogance to say that you own the land, when you are owned by it! How can you own that which outlives you? Only the people own the land because only the people live forever. To claim a place is the birthright of everyone. Even the lowly animals have their own place…how much more when we talk of human beings?”

Forty years after, Macliing is being threatened to be killed again. This time, a monument dedicated to him and other Cordilleran heroes face imminent removal by no less than government.

Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), an independent federation of grassroots-based organizations among indigenous communities in the Cordillera, is rallying support to save monument dedicated to Macliing, Pedro Dungoc, Lumbaya Gayudan and other heroes of the Anti-Chico Dams Struggle.

On a Facebook post, CPA said that in a letter dated October 8, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office gave them seven days to remove the monument.

CPA said “the reason given for the demolition: the edge of the monument falls within the road right-of-way. But behind this threat is an attempt by the government to hide from the public eye the true history of the indigenous people’s heroic resistance against displacement and oppression.”

“We appeal for your urgent support to prevent the demolition of the monument,” CPA said.

You can support by signing and sharing the petition. Click the button.