Veteran broadcast journalist Kara David is once again drawing nationwide attention through her latest I-Witness documentary, ‘Ibinasurang Paraiso,’ which has already garnered hundreds of thousands of views and sparked widespread discussion on social media.
The documentary exposes the environmental plight of the Ayta community in Sitio Tibag, Subic, Zambales, where part of their ancestral domain was allegedly converted into a dumpsite in 2019.
For generations, the Ayta have depended on the surrounding forest for food, water, and livelihood. Today, however, tons of garbage remain scattered across what was once a thriving natural landscape.
One of the documentary’s most emotional moments came through resident Erlinda Capistrano, who could not hide her grief over what had happened to their community.
“Parang nagagalit po na hindi ko po maintindihan ang sarili ko po. Naawa din po ako sa lugar. Bakit ginanito po nila?” she said.
She added that what used to be a deep ravine has now become almost level ground after years of continuous dumping.
“Itong lugar na ito, bangin daw ito dati. Pero ngayon halos napatag na ‘yung lupa kasi tinambakan nila nang tinambakan ng basura.”
David’s investigation also documented piles of waste that appeared to include medical materials, with some residents claiming that part of the trash consisted of hospital waste from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The documentary further revealed how the community’s once-clean stream has become contaminated, forcing residents to collect and filter rainwater for drinking and daily use.
Members of the indigenous community recalled that large trucks first arrived after they were told the area would simply be developed or improved. Instead, truckloads of garbage soon followed.
According to the residents, they were later summoned by Subic Mayor John Concon, who allegedly assured them that the dumpsite would only be temporary.
David also interviewed officials from the Subic local government, who acknowledged shortcomings in the project’s implementation.
Municipal Engineer Marian Del Castillo admitted that the site had been selected because it appeared isolated and that they were unaware an indigenous community was living nearby.
Officials likewise admitted that they were uncertain whether previous administrations had consulted environmental experts before the dumpsite was established.
When asked whether protective liners had been installed beneath the waste to prevent contamination of the soil and groundwater, Del Castillo acknowledged that these safeguards had not been put in place.
According to the local government, rehabilitation of the area is estimated to cost around ₱78 million, with a request already submitted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for ₱60 million in funding.
The documentary also noted that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discovered the operation in 2022 and ordered its closure for violating the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Despite the directive, the dumpsite reportedly continued operating for nearly three more years before finally ceasing operations in March 2026.
Although dumping activities have stopped, thousands of tons of waste remain in the area, leaving behind lasting environmental damage and continuing to affect the lives of the indigenous Ayta community.
Following the documentary’s release, many viewers took to social media to call on government agencies, particularly the DENR, to ensure the site’s immediate rehabilitation and prevent similar incidents from happening in other ancestral domains across the country.