|
PRESIDENT Arroyo has advised foreign mining firms in the
Philippines to let their host communities directly feel
the benefits of their operations, and to “engage” them
to ease resistance to their presence, Environment
Secretary Lito Atienza said over the weekend.
A Palace
statement said that Atienza told Philippine reporters
covering the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec)
Leaders’ Summit in Sydney that the President gave the
tip to Australian mining giant BHP Billiton and other
mining firms operating in the Philippines.
Atienza
quoted the Chief Executive as telling BHP Billiton chief
executive officer (CEO) Chip Goodyear during the
latter’s call on her at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney
on Saturday, that “mining enterprises must ‘engage the
local community more’ to avoid problems in their areas
of operation, specifically with local groups.’”
He said
the President also said mining firms must “settle their
problems with their partners.”
Atienza
said the President also reiterated her position that the
Philippines “welcomes mining firms that give due concern
to the environment and to the community,” though added
that Australian mining firms are not hounded by
environmental issues in the Philippines but by local
groups opposed to their presence in their areas.
BHP
Billiton, which is developing four nickel exploration
sites in the Philippines, including a potential
$1.8-billion project in Mindanao, is said to be
encountering some problems with disgruntled local groups
opposed to its nickel mining plans.
Australian and
New Zealand
firms are estimated to account for an estimated
one-fourth of mining investments in the Philippines.
The
Philippines is the fifth most mineralized nation in the
world, the third richest in gold, fourth in copper,
fifth in nickel and sixth in chromite.
Atienza
said that this year alone, investments in mining could
reach as much as $600 million to $10 billion and $11
billion in 2010 and 2011. |
