Philippine Diocese to Stage Unity Rally to Oppose Environmental Degradation

The Diocese of San Pablo will lead a rally on Saturday, July 5, 2025, to protest ongoing deforestation and human rights concerns in Pakil, a municipality in the province of Laguna on the island of Luzon, Philippines.

Dubbed the “Rally for Pakil, Nature, and Culture,” the event will bring together various Church groups, environmental advocates, and civil society organizations to stop environmental destruction and the displacement of local communities.

The peaceful demonstration will begin with a concelebrated Mass at 6:30 a.m. at St. Peter de Alcantara Parish Church,followed by a march to the office of Ahunan Power Inc. and onward to Plaza Adonay, where a short program will be held until 9:30 a.m.

The protest is being organized in response to large-scale tree-cutting in the mountains of Pingas and Inumpog, part of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Mount Pingas, in particular, is considered sacred by locals, who often climb it for prayer and reflection. Organizers have also raised alarms about the Ahunan Pumped-Storage Hydropower Project, a proposed 1,400-megawatt facility that would occupy more than 136 hectares across several barangays in Pakil.

The Diocese is concerned about the project’s environmental and social impact, including the displacement of residents in Sitio Pinagkampohan and restricted access for farmers to their agricultural land and for fishermen to portions of Laguna Lake.

In a statement released in March, Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, Jr. of San Pablo called on the Department of Energy, Ahunan Power Inc., and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to revisit the project and ensure meaningful consultation with affected communities. He urged transparency, inclusivity, and the prioritization of the common good.

Groups supporting the rally include the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP), various Christian denominations, environmental networks, and grassroots organizations. They emphasize that the issue concerns not only ecology but also the livelihood, culture, and heritage of the people of Pakil.

Scientific studies show that pumped-storage hydropower systems can cause ecological disruptions such as fish mortality, changes in water quality, and threats to aquatic biodiversity. Several natural springs, farmlands, and cultural sites are now at risk—including St. Peter de Alcantara Church, home of the centuries-old devotion to Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba.

“The Catholic Church, together with other church denominations, NGOs, and civil society groups, stands in solidarity with the people of Pakil,” the CMSP said. “This is a call to protect not only nature but also the rights and dignity of those who depend on it.”

The Diocese of San Pablo affirms the teachings of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which frames care for creation as both a spiritual and moral duty. It reiterates the need for an “integral ecology” that respects both people and the planet.

As people prepare to take to the streets this Saturday, their message is clear: “We need to act now, or what we have today will become just history.”