Batangas env’l group condemns provincial board approval of mining ops

PRESS RELEASE

January 24, 2012

 

BM Christoper de Leon Ignored People’s Clamor to Stop Large-Scale Mining Operations, Provincial Board Resolution 253, Enemy of the environment!

 

While the recent tragedy of Typhoon ‘Sendong’ remains fresh on the memory of the nation, Bukluran Para sa Inang Kalikasan (BUKAL), was extremely appalled to know that the Provincial Board of Batangas already approved and endorsed the development operation of destructive large-scale mining in the province.

Last week, Bukluran Para sa Inang Kalikasan (BUKAL) received a letter from the office of Governor Vilma Santos-Recto inviting its members on a meeting to discuss mining in Batangas. Prior to this, BUKAL has learned from an online report published by the CrazyHorse Limited, a Canadian Mining firm venturing in Gold-Exploration Project in Taysan, that it has already received endorsement and approval from the Provincial Board since last May 11, 2011 through Provincial Board Resolution 253.

 Today, January 24, BUKAL has formally acquired copy of the resolution and dismayed to know that the passage of said resolution happened during the times that different institutions, churches, schools and communities already held series of dialogues and lobbying to the Provincial Board, particularly to BM Christopher De Leon, as Head of the Provincial Environment Committee.

“We are dissapointed with BM de Leon’s hypocritical stand towards protecting the environment. On a Church-Leaders Forum Dialogue with BM De Leon last March 3, 2011 where he was represented by his Chief-of-Staff who committed to study if they could include BUKAL’s Call for Mining Moratorium in the draft of the Provincial Environment Code. A month before this, BUKAL have already raised concern against large-scale mining in Batangas to BM De Leon, himself in one of our lobbying efforts,” narrated Fr. Oliver Castor, BUKAL Head Convenor.

 “Now, the Batangueño people should know, that he was the primary responsible to allow Large-Scale Mining in Batangas, together with all members of the Provincial Board, who unanimously supported the said resolution and betrayed people’s trust by ignoring our clamor to save Batangas from environmental destruction!” Fr. Castor added further.

Aside from BM De Leon, BUKAL also named BM Carlos Bolilia who sponsored the said resolution, BM Rowena Sombrano-Africa (co-sponsor) and all members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as liable to the people and the environment for such betrayal of people’s interest, except for BM Rosales of the 1st District who was on sick-leave when they passed Resolution 253.

Governor Vi, Mining Firms to Meet with Anti-Mining Advocates Tomorrow

In a meeting called by Governor Santos-Recto tomorrow, January 25 at 1:00pm in the Provincial Capitol, Bukluran Para sa Inang Kalikasan (BUKAL) shall challenged the Head of the Province to take the stand for the environment.

“After the Provincial Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved of Large-Scale Mining in the province, she has to take her stand now, would she side with the people in the clamor to save Batangas, or would she be one among the enemy of the environment by siding with her colleagues’ actions? Tomorrow, more than ever, is the moment the Batangueno people will know who she really serves for…” also added Fr. Castor.

From 12:30nn tomorrow, members of Bukluran Para sa Inang Kalikasan, together with residents of mining affected areas and anti-mining advocates, shall hold a Rally to condemn Provincial Board Resolution 253 and Call on Governor Vilma Santos-Recto to Stop Mining in Batangas, and Revoke the said Resolution. A program will be held before the dialogue, and during the dialogue period to manifest the people’s clamor against destructive mining in Batangas. #

REFERENCE PERSON:

Fr. Oliver Castor

0919.504.3536

Invitation to SURI SA SAKUNA: A Forum on the Science and Social Impacts of Recent Disasters

Kalikasan Partylist, Agham- Advocates of Science and Technology for the People and the Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines invite you to

SURI SA SAKUNA: A Forum on the Science and Social Impacts of Recent Disasters

Date: 13 January 2012 (Friday), 10:00 AM – 12:00 NN
Venue:  Beta Epsilon Multimedia Hall, 2/F Melchor Hall, UP College of Engineering, UP Diliman

Speakers
Hydrology and River Basins Along the Sendong Path 
Dr. Glen Tabios – Director, UP National Hydraulics Research Centre.

On the Patukan, Compostela Valley landslides
Mr. Francis Morales – Secretary-General, Panalipdan Southern Mindanao Region

Accountability in the Typhoon Sendong Experience 
Mr. Jose Leon Dulce – Spokesperson, Kalikasan Partylist

*For inquiries, contact CEC at 02.920.9099
or Kalikasan Partylist at kalikasanpartylist1@gmail.com. 

FINAL CALL: VOTE FOR PUERTO PRINCESA UNDERGROUND RIVER for the NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE

Send PPUR to 2861

Visit campaign website HERE.

Justice for Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio

Servant of God, True Servant of the People.

Martyred on 17 October 2011

Arakan, North Cotabato

Hustisya para kay Given Grace Cebanico!

Taos pusong nakikiramay ang buong kasapian ng KALIKASAN Southern Tagalog Environmental Action Movement (KALIKASAN-STEAM) sa pamilya, kaibigan at mga naulila ni Given Grace Cebanico, isang iskolar ng bayan mula sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños na biktima ng karumal-dumal na pagpatay at posibleng panghahalay. Siya ay 19 na taong gulang.

HUSTISYA NGAYON NA!

The Ugly Side of Surigao del Norte

by R. Luis Flores

This is a Google Maps satellite image of an area that constitutes the Municipality of Claver in Surigao del Norte.  I was able to observe this from a distance last September 22-24.  The large area appears to have a striking reddish hue because the entire coastal mountain range is DENUDED of its forest cover.  Claver supposedly has the largest iron mineral deposit in the world, and one can surmise that this denudation of the mountains is partly due to the mining activities that have gone on in the past years.

However, (and I do admit that I have limited knowledge on this matter), I could not grasp the idea of a mining operation that is so large a scale as to cover an entire mountain range.  What makes it more suspicious is that there were numerous cargo vessels anchored off the shore of Claver.  What is it that they could be taking from Claver that would necessitate such large and numerous vessels?  And where are they taking them?

Then I came across this video on YouTube uploaded by taureanfate: READ MORE

 

*This is a repost from the blog, http://liquiddruid.wordpress.com. Copyrights are due to the owners.

 

“Mine Games” by H. Marcos Mordeno, MindaNews

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/05 October) – Aside from being used by government as an issue against the National Democratic Front, the attack on Monday by the New People’s Army against three mining firms in Claver, Surigao del Norte has once more highlighted the need to rethink the nature of the country’s mining industry. Unfortunately, government has refused to think out of the proverbial box, treating the simultaneous raids as simply a police or military matter. It chooses to keep a blind eye to the fact that the NDF is just one of the groups that are opposing the operations of large-scale mining companies.

Let the generals who bungled their job suffer the consequence of what was clearly a failure of intelligence on their part. Indeed, judging from the scale of the attack – some 200 New People’s Army rebels attacking in one fell swoop three targets – it’s unthinkable for the military or the police not to get wind of it. On a positive note, however, the humiliating debacle gives the impression that those huge intelligence funds may not have been used in an intelligent manner.

But since the rebels themselves have linked the issue to questions concerning the environment and protection of the national patrimony, government should wear new lenses and examine the points they have raised. It would not help if government ignores these arguments and simply acts as a mere security officer for the mining companies, a response that will only increase the militarization of the communities [surrounding the firms] and the attendant climate of fear.

In a statement released today, NDF peace panel chair Luis Jalandoni cited that the Tribal Coalition of Mindanao and other groups had filed on May 30, 2011 a petition for a writ of Kalikasan before the Supreme Court calling for a Temporary Environmental Protection Order against five mining firms, including two of those attacked by the NPA, Taganito Mining Corp. and Platinum Group Metals Corp.

Quoting from the petition, Jalandoni said the respondents were charged with “destroying and polluting the ancestral domain” of the petitioners “by failing to provide proper siltation dams for their nickel mines, thereby irreversibly damaging marine resources, mangroves, corals and created serious health risks to the prejudice of the lives, health and properties of the tribes and inhabitants of the Provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.”

Government should note that the rebel group has cited concrete issues confronting the mining industry, issues that it has always tried to sideline by playing up the supposed economic benefits of allowing the unbridled exploitation of the country’s mineral wealth.

Incidentally, I’m not alone in the position that government should admit that the destruction wrought by large mining companies was behind the NPA attack on Monday against the three firms in Claver.

“The Aquino regime and the pro-mining lobby are trying to play down if not cover up the reality of destructive large-scale mining highlighted by the Surigao del Norte mine raids,” Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of Kalikasan PNE said in a statement today.

“Environmental degradation, dislocation of communities – let us also not forget mining’s disrespect of the indigenous peoples’ ancestral domain as circumscribed in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act and National Integrated Protected Areas System Act. Without free, prior and informed consent, and imposed with unfair economic sharing terms, corporations should not wonder why they are met with people’s resistance,” Bautista added.

These are the issues that continue to provide environment groups – and the NPA – with political ammunition against mining. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com.)