MANILA, Philippines – Habang naghahanda ang Asian Development Bank (ADB) para sa 2026 Annual General Meeting sa Samarkand, Uzbekistan, inilunsad ng NGO Forum on ADB at ng kanilang mga kaalyado ang serye ng mga ulat na nagtatampok sa karanasan ng mga komunidad mula sa Indonesia, Nepal, India.
Pinamagatang “Fridays from the Field,” itinatampok ng online na serye ang boses ng mga komunidad at ang tunay na epekto ng mga proyektong pangkaunlaran sa mga lokal, lalo na ang mga pinondohan ng ADB.
Magsisimula ang serye sa Marso 27 sa paglulunsad ng ulat na “ADB Geothermal Debacle in Indonesia,” na tumatalakay sa mga epekto sa kapaligiran at lipunan na naranasan ng mga komunidad na nakatira malapit sa mga proyekto ng geothermal power.
Ang Indonesia ay isa sa pinakamalalaking may reserbang geothermal energy at naging target ng pandaigdigang pondo para sa renewable development bilang bahagi ng kanilang clean energy transition initiatives. Gayunpaman, nagtaas ng seryosong pangamba ang mga lokal na komunidad tungkol sa kapaligiran at lipunan, at binigyang-diin ang kahalagahan na hindi makompromiso ang mga likas na yaman at kabuhayan ng mga lokal.
Para sa mga komunidad na malapit sa mga pasilidad ng geothermal, ramdam na nila ang epekto:
“I have seen what Unit 1 of the Dieng Geothermal Power Plant has done. We have not received any benefits from it; instead, it has harmed us and polluted our environment. I worry about the long-term dangers. The water turned thick like cement and tasted sour, so we could not drink it. In the mornings, a bad smell came from the many well pads around our village,” ani isang babae mula sa Pawuhan village sa Dieng Plateau, na lumalaban sa pagpapalawak ng proyekto, at ibinahagi kung paano naapektuhan ang kanilang kapaligiran at pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay.
“We used to have plenty of water, but when the geothermal plant runs, the water supply drops. This is even worse during the dry season, when we need more water for farming. With less water, our crops grow less well, and we earn less money—making it harder to sustain our families and secure our future,” dagdag niya.
Binatikos din ng mga komunidad ang pagpapalawak ng geothermal project sa kabila ng matagal nang mga alalahanin.
“ADB did not address the negative experiences of communities on the Dieng Plateau during the Dieng Unit 1 GPP and proceeded to plan Units 3 and 4 while considering expanding Unit 2. This ongoing disregard for affected communities’ efforts to protect their land and resources must end. The definition of clean energy has to be redefined to include community perspectives, particularly those of women, regarding their lives, livelihoods, environment, and natural resources, as they are most impacted by these projects,” sabi ni Titi Soentoro, executive director ng Aksi! for gender, social and ecological justice sa Indonesia.
Ipinapakita rin ng serye ang karanasan ng mga komunidad sa ibang bahagi ng Asia.
Sa Abril 10, ilalabas ang ulat tungkol sa Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Program (KEIIP) sa India, na nagtatampok sa karanasan ng maliliit na tindero na nawalan ng kabuhayan sa panahon ng konstruksyon ng urban infrastructure.
Ipinakita ng pananaliksik ng Growthwatch, Fallen by the Wayside: The Human Cost of ADB’s Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Project (KEIIP), ang tunay na halaga ng KEIIP—malawakang displacement, pagkasira ng matagal nang kabuhayan, at pattern ng nabigong pananagutan.
“Communities were not properly informed, not meaningfully consulted, and ultimately left without adequate compensation or resettlement. This is not inclusive development—this is development that pushes people aside and leaves them behind,” sabi ni Jen Derillo, Deputy Director for Communications sa Forum network.
Sa Abril 17, tatalakayin ang pag-aaral na Beyond the Dam, na nagdodokumento ng kultural at espiritwal na epekto ng Tanahu Hydropower Project sa mga Magar Indigenous communities sa Nepal. Ipinapakita ng pananaliksik kung paano maaaring maapektuhan ng malalaking dam projects ang tradisyonal na pamamahala, mga sagradong lugar, at kultural na gawi na kaugnay ng mga ilog at kalikasan.
Ayon kay Indira Shreesh ng Indigenous Women Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG), “Development must respect Indigenous Peoples’ land, identity, and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Without this, projects lead to displacement, cultural loss, and social disruption.”
Binigyang-diin niya na ang mga Indigenous women ang pinaka apektado kapag ang mga prosesong ito ay nagbabawal sa pakikilahok ng komunidad.
“Indigenous women are particularly affected, as they play a vital role in preserving culture and community resilience, but are often excluded from decision-making. Despite these challenges, communities continue to resist and advocate for justice. Ensuring inclusive, rights-based development that respects Indigenous knowledge and participation is essential for sustainable and equitable outcomes.”
Tatalakayin naman sa Abril 24 ang Imphal Ring Road Project sa Hilagang-Silangan ng India at ang potensyal nitong epekto sa lokal na komunidad.
“ADB should desist funding infrastructure, energy, and other unsustainable projects that failed to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights and the integrity of the environment,” sabi ni Jiten Yumnam, Advocacy Coordinator, Center for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, India.
“ADB-funded projects should not lead to reprisals and harm on Indigenous Peoples’ land, territories, and their lives. ADB should address the concerns raised by communities affected by the Imphal Town Ring Road project in Manipur, North East India.”
Nilalayon ng seryeng Fridays from the Field na iugnay ang mga lokal na karanasang ito sa mas malawak na mga talakayan sa patakaran tungkol sa mga pananggalang, enerhiya, pananagutan, at napapanatiling pag-unlad, at upang matiyak na ang mga talakayan tungkol sa pag-unlad ay kinabibilangan ng mga tinig ng mga taong naapektuhan.
“At a time when the world is witnessing escalating conflict—from the ongoing US–Israel–Iran war to rising tensions across regions—these stories remind us that people on the ground are always the ones who bear the greatest cost. Development and conflict alike cannot continue to ignore community rights, livelihoods, and dignity. As the ADB convenes its Annual Meeting, it must confront these realities and ensure that its projects do not replicate the same patterns of harm and exclusion we are seeing globally,” sabi ni Rayyan Hassan, Executive Director ng NGO Forum on ADB.
Ang publiko, mga tagagawa ng patakaran, mga mananaliksik, at mga mamamahayag ay inaanyayahang dumalo sa mga sesyon at makilahok sa mga talakayan.
Schedule ng mga Sesyon:
● March 27, 2026: Indonesia Geothermal Projects
● April 10, 2026: Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Program (KEIIP) (India)
● April 17, 2026: Tanahu Hydropower Project (Nepal)
● April 24, 2026: Imphal Ring Road Project (India)
