Nearly one million people, both Moro and Lumad, will suffer once a 300-megawatt (MW) hydroelectric dam is built at the Kulaman-Pulangi River junction in Damulog, Bukidnon and President Roxas, Cotabato.

Critics said over the weekend that the receding water level of the Pulangi River because of El Niño phenomenon will worsen due to the controlled opening of the floodgates of the Pulangi IV hydro dam in Maramag, Bukidnon.

Pulangi IV was the only dam installed along the Pulangi hydro dam complex since 1986.

"The Pulangi IV dam has to maintain the water level to generate the minimum capacity of the power plant. We are now experiencing erratic river flow since there has been no rain in the last two months," said Datu Mantaguima fof Barangay Pinamula, Kibawe, Bukidnon.

"Our traditional method of fishing in the river like Boboan is also affected as this fishing method is dependent on the flow and the current of the river," he added.

"El Niño is not new to us since our oral tradition chronicled that a hundred years ago, Pulangi River dried up. When this happens, people will all live in the river bank to survive by fishing and gathering root groups which grow along the river. All our farm lots are useless since most of them are rain-fed." Datu Victor Bon-tao of Mikasili, Damulog, Bukidnon complained.

Pulangi River is the biggest tributary of the Rio Grande de Mindanao, which has its headwaters in the mountains of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon City. The water drains to Cotabato City by traversing approximately 373 kilometers.

The river is an important transportation channel, used mainly in transporting agricultural products, people, and is the source of their secondary means of livelihood.

"Pulangi is a sacred water of the tribe. It's a gift from Magbabaya (the Supreme Being). When Magbabaya created the island, he placed a landmark at the center of the land. 'Impamulangi' is the Monobo term for 'center of the island,' from which the name of the river was coined," Datu Noel Tawas of the Pulangiyon cultural community in Barangay Sanipon, Kibawe, Bukidnon said.

"If you check your map, Pulangi River lies at the center of Mindanao," he added.

According to oral tradition, the Manobo's leaders were two brothers-- Tabunaway and Mamalu.

Tabunaway was a skillful forest food gatherer. He was the convenor of the village elders, and he was acclaimed as datu. His elder, brother Mamalu, led the fishing expeditions of their villages.

Manobos occupied the lower valley of Pulangi river in Central Mindanao which covers Cotabato City.

In the 14th century, Shariff Kabungsuan, a Muslim missionary, propagated Islam in Mindanao.

Mamalu left the lower valley and moved to the highlands of Pulangi river because he did not want to convert to Islam.

Tabuwanay was converted to Islam but pledged to visit his brother to bring goods from the trading centers in the lower valley.

The Mamalu clan members spread and came to be known now as Manobo, while the descendants of the Tabunaway clan are now known as Maguindanao.

The only way to maintain their kinship ties is through the river.

Today, the river is threatened by the proposed Mega Dam project which would submerge at least 22 villages in seven towns of Bukidnon and Cotabato provinces.