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DENR chief seeks repeal of mining act

MANILA, July 9, 2010— Environment Secretary Ramon Paje calls for the
repeal of the current mining policy which allows foreign companies to
fully own a mining firm in the country.

Paje admitted the Mining Act of 1995 is inherently flawed and problems
cannot be solved by the same defective legislation should therefore be
amended or be replaced with a new one.

“The law itself must be amended. We cannot solve the many problems (in
the mining industry) if we will not change the law,” he said.

Paje made the statement Thursday night in a meeting with ranking
members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
led by its President Bishop Nereo Odchimar at Pope Pius XII Catholic
Center in Manila.

According to him, “resource valuation” has not been included in the
current mining law.

The present challenge, he said, is how to utilize the country’s rich
mineral resources in a manner that it still considers conservation and
protection of the environment.

“That is where the challenge lies. How can we utilize the resources
while not compromising biodiversity,” he said.

Paje said he is also supporting the alternative mining bill recently
filed in Congress provided it should have strong component in resource
evaluation.

“There should be thorough evaluation and completely value
biodiversity,” he said.

Not responsive

The bishops lauded Ramos’ rejection of the current mining act which
according to them sells off the country’s natural resources to foreign
interest at the expense of the environment.

They said that the guaranteed economic benefits of mining by
transnational corporations are outweighed by dislocation of
communities.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that mining industry in
the country has been a “curse” to many people.

“We doubt if there’s responsible mining. The current law is not
responsive and even its execution is not good,” said Pabillo.

The church leaders also lamented the rising figure of mining affected
communities, human rights violations and economic depravations.

Truth commission

The prelates also called on the government to create a “truth
commission” that would investigate the “environmental crimes” such as
the Marcopper mining disaster in Marinduque.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said the mine tailing spillage
contaminated with cyanide in Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay is another thing
that authorities should look into.

San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David noted that no one have been
prosecuted in so far as mining disasters are concerned.

“We are also seeking for environmental justice also,” he said. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCPNews)