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Boac, Marinduque – The College of Arts and Sciences convened the 11th reiteration of its colloquium with College of Environmental Studies, Australian National University, University of Canberra and University of Arizona last October 27 to 30 commemorating three decades of the mine tailings disaster in Boac river.
Marinduque State University (MarSU) CAS students from BA Communication, BA English Language Studies and BS Social Work organized the three day colloquium with an additional conduit activity of Round Table Discussion featuring Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC), Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc (CEMSI), and Philippine Misereor Partnerships Inc (PMPI) alongside student leaders from Arts and Sciences Student Organization (ARTSSO), Communication Society, Language Enthusiasts Society, Social Work Society and Litera Club.
The first day of the CAS colloquium was organized by the BAC sophomore students who are taking up Communication 203: Communication, Culture and Society with Dr. Emerson Sanchez from UoC and Dr. Bryan Levina Viray from ANU. Prior to the talk, Dr. Viray shared a report, “Damage that doesn’t make headlines”: a mining disaster still devastates this island, 30 years on. Based on the previous panel discussion sponsored by the National Museum of the Philippines Marinduque, Echoes of the Spill, Dr. Sanchez present “Mga Sakuna sa Pagmimina sa Marinduque 1975-1996, Katarungan, pagkilala, pag-asa,” Then, Dr. Viray shared “Dulaan at Pagtatanghal: Buhay na Dokumentasyon at Gunita, Theatre and Performance: Living Documentation and Memory.”
Then the next day was a RTD, during the morning session was about a brief history of the Marcopper disaster from MACEC secretariat Beth Mangol, possible alternatives for tailings disposal from CEMSI Tony Cejales and joining virtually PMPI’s Yolanda Esguerra who talked about the perspective on Rights of Nature. Then the afternoon RTD provided a response from student leaders from ARTSSO, CommSoc, LES, SWS and Litera Club.
The third day of the Dalumat Colloquium was convened by the BA ELS students who are taking up Philippine Popular Culture. They invited Sir Ronnel Nolos, a Fulbright scholar from CES but now is on scholarship in UoA. Sir Nolos provided a presentation, “When the Mine Disaster Never Really Ended – Three decades of Potentially Toxic Element contamination in Marinduque.” He also talked about the history of Marcopper disaster from the scientific perspective, likewise he discussed potentially toxic elements (PTEs) along with its sources and impact vis-a-vis human exposure to PTEs. More importantly, Sir Nolos provided more context with his published works based on studies regarding roots causes of contamination in the province and environmental management priorities.
The last day of the research confab was put together by BSSW students who are also taking up Ph Pop Culture, they were able to invite the incoming CES program chair and stipendium Hungaricum scholar at Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest Hungary Mam Roja Medianista-Hetesi. She dwelled on collaborative qualitative study, “Exploring the life and Dangers of Coastal dwellers living on a mine tailings deposition in Marinduque Island.”
