Country’s 1st anti mining monument erected in Romblon Anti-mining advocates witnessed on Tuesday the unveiling of a Memorial in Romblon commemorating the biggest protest held in the province against mining by the Church, local officials and residents. A first in the country, the anti-mining monument is a reminder of the people’s struggle against the entry of large scale mining firms in Romblon. Romblon Governor Eduardo C. Firmalo said the province will not allow any mining activities to destroy the environment and bring suffering to the people, stressing that local government units have the autonomy to defend the general welfare of the population. "Today we commemorate the unity of our people to uphold the dignity of life and environment.
Bishop marks golden jubilee with anti-mining calls KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/10 April) — Diocese of Marbel Bishop Dinualdo D. Gutierrez marked the 50th year of his priestly ministry yesterday with a late afternoon thanksgiving mass where hundreds of parishioners offered prayers for the protection of the environment from the impact of large-scale mining in the area. For 30 years now, Gutierrez has been the bishop of Marbel, whose pastoral jurisdiction includes the town of Tampakan, South Cotabato, host of the copper and gold project of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. Under his leadership, the diocese has been at the forefront in the struggle against the Tampakan project, which is planned to go on commercial stream in 2016. To commemorate his golden jubilee, Gutierrez celebrated a special mass, concelebrated by at least two dozens bishops from across the country and numerous priests under the diocesan territory.
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Two Roads of Development : The Philippine Reporter – Toronto Filipino Newspaper Serving the Greater Toronto Area Mining for Profits vs Mining for People By Ramon Grajo BAYAN Canada in Toronto (Speech delivered at the CD Launch of “Path of Destruction: Canadian Mining Companies Around the World” on March 25, 2009 in Toronto.) Where is the common ground? According to the Department of Budget and Management, President Aquino has created a panel to outline the government’s mineral resource extraction policy. The future of the mining industry now depends on the administration’s stance. As such, anti-mining groups are clamoring to be heard, stoutly opposing the industry’s development. Although both have merits, how does one marry two extremely polar views? Can there be a compromise between these groups? The importance of mining to the national economy cannot be ignored since its products are vital raw materials for other industries.
The Tampakan mine odyssey: One battle won but the war has just begun After more than six years of lobbying and making their case against the operation of Sagittarius Mines Corporation in the hinterlands of Tampakan in South Cotabato, the Catholic Church and its pro-environment allies finally got their wish from the Provincial Board – a commitment by way of approving a provision in a proposed environment code that will ban open-pit mining in the area. By a narrow margin of six provincial board members against five voting for a ban in open-pit mining, the Church and their allies are looking forward to blocking SMI from proceeding with its mining operations in the quad-boundaries of Tampakan town, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, Kiblawan in Davao del Sur and Malungon in Sarangani. While the proposed code is yet to be passed as an ordinance, Fr. Romeo Catedral said the position taken by the six members of the local legislative body is already “a triumph for the people not only of South Cotabato but also nearby provinces”.
DENR says SC can still save $6-B Cotabato mining project MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources remains fully behind the $5.9-billion Tampakan copper-gold mine project, the largest foreign investment in the country, even as it admitted that an appeal to reverse its decision rejecting the company’s environmental permit is dim. This was the message of Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, who stressed that the conflict between the company, which would be using open pit mining, and the province of South Cotabato, which disallows that particular method, would have to be resolved by the court. The chief of the DENR, which last week rejected Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI)’s Environmental Compliance Certificate application for the Tampakan site, said they do not disapprove of open pit mining. However, the local government of South Cotabato has banned the mining method and SMI rejected DENR’s suggestion to file a declaratory relief before the Supreme Court and persisted on negotiating with local officials, Paje said.
Tampakan mining project feared to repeat ‘Sendong’ tragedy MANILA (MindaNews/24 December) — The devastating flash floods that struck Northern Mindanao and killed at least 1,100 residents on December 17 can be repeated” in Southwestern Mindanao if the large-scale Tampakan copper-gold project of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) will be allowed to proceed, a local militant group warned. Tropical storm Sendong (international name “Washi”) brought rains that flooded the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and parts of Bukidnon province. Ryan Lariba, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-SOCKSARGEN secretary general, said that mining and logging ventures in the hinterlands of Mindanao has caused wanton environmental destruction and deforestation. He urged the Aquino government to refrain from allowing these destructive industries to operate, particularly in Mindanao. SMI, controlled by Xstrata Copper, the world’s fourth largest copper producer, plans to go on commercial stream in 2016 for its Tampakan copper-gold project.
DENR trashes Tampakan mines environmental compliance certificate application KORONADAL CITY – Efforts to bring the massive Tampakan copper-gold project to commercial phase suffered a major blow after the Environment department rejected the proponent’s application for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC). Documents obtained by the Diocese of Marbel showed that Environment Secretary Ramon Paje rejected the ECC application of Sagittarius Mines Inc. because of the open-pit mining ban in South Cotabato. "We are returning herewith the application documents with instruction to deny the same without prejudice to resubmit until the issues and concern on the use of open-pit mining method have been clarified and resolved by the company [SMI] with the Provincial Government of South Cotabato," Paje said in a memorandum dated last January 3. The memorandum was addressed to Juan Miguel T. Cuna, national director of the Environmental Management Bureau, who in turn issued an order to Sagittarius Mines, dated January 9, which states:
Moro group joins opposition vs Tampakan mining project GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- A militant Moro organization has joined the opposition voices against the massive Tampakan copper-gold project of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines Inc. Arsad Solaiman, chair of the Youth for Bangsamoro Genuine Empowerment, has urged President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to stop Sagittarius Mines from pursuing the Tampakan project "to save the environment and put to halt the pollution of rivers in one of the remaining habitats of the B'laan tribes." "The greed of mining companies and their local cohorts have no bound that must be stopped now or the wrath of nature will fall on us sooner than expected," Solaiman was quoted as saying on the website of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. President Aquino, in his early days in office, had hinted support to the venture of Sagittarius Mines, which is still in the exploration stage, for its potential to help the economy.
South Cotabato eyes mining moratorium By ALI G. MACABALANG COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Anxious over a repeat of last month’s devastating floods in Northern Mindanao and landslide in Compostela Valley, the legislature of South Cotabato is mulling a five-year moratorium on all mining activities in critical mountain areas within the province.