October 22

On October 22, 1977, 90% of the people voted against a copper smelter facility that then President Marcos Sr. and the national government had already set to be constructed in their town. If the project pushed through, the facility would have provided jobs, schools, and roads for San Juan, but also dumped waste in the air, the soil, and the waters of San Juan, the waters of the Verde Island Passage.

Lobbied by Barako Publishing and unanimously approved and endorsed by the public in a hearing held last October 19, 2023, the local government of San Juan, Batangas, is designating October 22 as an annual commemoration, a municipal ordinance, called Araw ng Pagkakaisa Para sa Kalikasan ng Bayan ng San Juan.

From being an almost forgotten part of our history, the annual commemoration will now ensure it is part of the San Juan, Batangas identity and legacy.

The first ever commemoration  was held on October 22, 2024, with much anticipation from both the public and private sectors. Barako Publishing, through The Barako Alliance, continues to participate and contribute by organizing partnerships to showcase the natural beauty of San Juan, the tangible proof of what the events of 1977 saved and protected.