That Oceanagold is a non-Filipino company, listed in Australia and Canada, adds nuance to his thesis. “This is a form of colonialism,” he asserts.
Because the practice indeed includes burning of trees and clearing of forest, it was deemed destructive. “But I saw scientific studies that said it was sustainable. They were only utilizing what they needed. They live in that area so they know how to navigate it. It's actually regenerative. It helps fertilize the land.”
“I met some rice scientists in UPLB who told me about climate resilient varieties of rice that they are developing right now,” he said. Tumala pointed to the Golden Rice, a GMO rice variety that’s been around for 20 years. In 2021, the"It's GMO and vitamin-enriched so it's full of chemicals, and it's yellow. But the plant itself, the variant is easier to plant, more resistant to climate change — a factor kaya siya na-approve,” he said.
“Nagalit daw yung ocean, warning us na may masamang mangyayari,” Tumala said. “When the locals saw it, they were so scared. 'The world is ending' mga ganyang stories.” Interestingly enough, it was science that led Tumala to consider the connection of anthropological subjects like colonialism and capitalism to climate change.