Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. (Acts 17:16)
I travel to Rizal towns from time to time. Whenever I pass through the town of Teresa, I slow down to look at the progress of the marble quarrying on mountains just a few meters from where people live. When I first traveled to Rizal in the early 70’s quarrying on the mountains of Teresa had not begun. I don’t exactly know when it began but I remember how the majestic mountain gradually shrunk and lost its former mystery and beauty. From tall and imposing with a thick mat of green trees and foliage, the mountain seemed to sink and die. I don’t think I am only using a figure of speech here. As you deforest, de-foliage and quarry a mountain, you are actually killing it, not to mention how many trees and wildlife you already killed in the name of progress. Not too far away from Teresa town is a cement factory which derives its raw materials also from the mountains. There are times when the trees of Teresa are covered with a thin gray film. Driving through this town, one notices a particular type of dust which is not the usual. The dust clearly comes from the continuous quarrying for cement ingredients and marble. The dust does not only settle on the leaves and barks of trees. It also finds its way into the water, livestock, vegetables, etc. that eventually become food that is ingested and digested in people’s stomachs. I am sure, cement is not edible. How about the cement dust that goes into people’s lungs?
Not too far away from Teresa is Antipolo where more than a decade ago the Cherry Hills disaster took place. After that tragedy where hundred died as their houses were sucked into the earth when an underground river suddenly came alive because of incessant rains, the mayor then promised to declare a moratorium on land development. That promise clearly was only for a time. Antipolo now is fast changing. Housing projects, commercial complexes are sprouting everywhere. Just as you drive into Marikina from Sumulong Highway, you are greeted by a giant SM on your right. A few kilometers away another giant SM greets you. Further down the road as you approach Katipunan, a few meters from the corner of Katipunan and Aurora Boulevard a giant SM highrise condominium is underway. Further up Katipunan, just across La Vista Subdivision towers an SM Condominium. I can go on and on, and show how almost within five or ten kilometers you either see a Mall, Condominium, Bank etc. that belongs to the conglomerate SM Holdings. Now from Gatlabayan to Leble has Antipolo really improved? How about from Bayani, the husband to Bayani the wife, has Marikina really improved?
Look closely at the picture above. You will see a back hoe which in Maguindanao has become a murder weapon that killed several media workers more than two years ago. The back hoe seems to be quietly doing an innocent, useful and productive chore. Yes, if we look at the mountain as just one big chunk of earth and rocks to be moved and processed into products that sell. Business advertising, like politics makes evil look good. The men and women behind the expansion of the SM Empire are called the good guys. They are now being challenged by the Great and the Best Men and Women of Baguio City who started Project 182. When people work to save and preserve life, they are not only good but are really the Best! They are truly great because they speak and act from their greatness of their souls that are akin to the soul of Mother Earth. When people destroy the environment by cutting trees, quarrying and pulverizing mountains and leveling the earth to give way to the many temples of consumerism and materialism they better not call themselves good, unless they prefer mockery to truth. Thank God for the Great Men and Women of Baguio City. Woe to the “good” guys of Corporate SM Greed!”
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