THE past few weeks saw a series of articles, news reports,
and media coverage on mining in view of the re-opening of the Lafayette mine in
Rapu-Rapu, Albay. Both sides – the pro and anti-mining groups – have traded
barbs and statements accusing one another of "feeding false information to the
public" and spinning "tales" to defend their cause.
The pro-mining groups led by Lafayette and the Chamber of
Mines have always used "economic progress" as a primary reason why mining should
continue in Rapu-Rapu, even stressing how Lafayette has "exhausted all means to
improve its operations." Recent news releases have also shown how mining has
been "praised" by various government agencies led by the DENR when it enumerated
all the possible benefits of mining in the country
The groups claimed "more than $348 million in mining
investments are expected to be generated in 2007.
On the other hand, the anti-mining groups composed of various
people’s organizations have always used the "environment card" citing the
disastrous effects of mining to the landscape of the area, and destroying the
livelihood and way of life of the people living in that area.
Just recently, a "Save Rapu-Rapu Task Force" was set up to
"closely monitor the situation in Rapu-Rapu and will continue to work for
Lafayette’s permanent pull-out in the island.’
For Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), a group of NGO’s/Pos and other
civil society groups who joined together out of concern from the threat of the
revitalization of the mining industry in the Philippines, the business of mining
in the Philippines is just "economic progress in disguise."
"The government must stop looking at mining companies as
economic saviors and instead see them as local devastators, and stop raising
them in public when all they do is ruin the little we have," said Jaybee
Garganera, National Coordinator of PhilDHRRA and ATM.
Garganera said that the claim of mining as a
"poverty-reducing" industry is misleading. "The projections of values and
volumes of mineral resources have not been validated, nor accurately portrayed.
The claimed economic benefits of mining are too short-term that it cannot
compensate for the social displacement, cultural conflicts and environmental
degradation that might happen," he stressed mentioning some damaging effects of
mining to several targeted fragile ecologies.
He pointed to a DENR report citing "big investments generated
last year from the Palawan Nickel Mining Corp. and Coral Bay Mining Corp. with
$43.1 million investments; the Tampakan Gold Project of Sagittarius Mines Inc.
with $13.21 million and the Canatuan Gold Project of TVI Resources Phils. with
$8.69 million."
"The three mines mentioned are prime examples of the very
worst of Philippine mining. The Palawan Nickel Project threatens an ecosystem
that was, by virtue of isolation, the last truly green place in the Philippines.
Sagittarius Mines Inc. stands accused by violently oppressing the native B’laan
who oppose their operations. And any mention of TVI Resources leaves a bad taste
in the mouth thanks to their practices."
TVI itself was one of the firms investigated in the recently
launched report "Mining in the Philippines: Concerns and Challenges." Last year,
led by British MP Clare Short, a fact finding team evaluated the status of
mining in the Philippines and found that the industry is simply destructive.
MP Short, stated that she had "never seen anything so
systematically destructive as the mining program in the Philippines." Calling
its effects on environment and society catastrophic, the report catalogues
instances of armed intimidation, cases of corruption and manufactured public
consent.
"We do not share the perception of DENR that enough measures have been put in
place to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in Rapu-Rapu. In fact, we
believe that Lafayette has not yet effectively secured its social license,
considering the increasing local opposition to its operations," Garganera said.
