Anti-mining advocates are apparently winning the war against mining companies despite the industry’s potential to boost the country’s growth and development.
According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), 47 percent, or 38 out of 81 provinces, of the country have at least one local government unit (LGU) with anti-mining resolutions.
These are LGUs in Leyte, Romblon, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Marinduque, Bukidnon, Capiz, Davao City, Mindoro provinces, Antique, Bohol, Samar, South Cotabato, La Union, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Aklan, Cagayan de Oro City, Sultan Kudarat and Iloilo.
There are also 10 proposed measures filed in the House of Representatives seeking to prohibit mining in 10 provinces: Catanduanes, Romblon, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Davao City, Sorsogon, Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan de Oro and Biliran.
Anti-mining advocates oppose mining because, according to them, mining leads to the massive destruction of the country’s forests—including watersheds and natural habitats of some of the country’s unique and endemic, but critically endangered wildlife, including flora and fauna.
Speaking during the Mining Philippines 2014 Conference and Exhibition at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City, MGB Director Leo Jasareno said the LGUs having anti-mining resolutions is a result of the anti-mining sentiments being aired by groups in various parts of the country.
This is despite the employment opportunities, development projects, such as roads, schools, health centers and other infrastructure projects, and forest-rehabilitation efforts of some big mining companies as part of their corporate social responsibility programs.
Jasareno, who presented Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje’s report on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’s mining-reform initiatives, said policy inconsistencies between national and local laws are among the pressing issues being addressed by the government.
It was also raised by mining’s big players during the conference.
The multibillion-dollar Tampakan Copper-Gold Project in Southern Philippines, for instance, is being delayed by such policy inconsistency between the national and local laws.
An ordinance in South Cotabato bans the use of open-pit mining in the province. This method is, however, allowed under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
During the kick-off ceremonies of the three-day conference on Tuesday, neophyte Sen. Grace Poe said the mining industry needs to be more transparent and address issues against mining in the country.
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, who delivered a keynote speech at the same event on Wednesday, made a pronouncement that national laws should supersede local laws in mining in case of conflict.
Aside from the policy inconsistencies, the declaration of “no-go” zones in mining, which bans mining in certain areas, have triggered howls of protests, particularly because many of the areas where mining is banned are actually mineralized areas. Areas where mining is supposed to be allowed, on the other hand, are those with no feasible mineral deposits to exploit.
Jasareno said the MGB had already formally requested the Mining Industry Coordinating Council for a total review of the mining no-go zones because the map used in plotting the no-go zones by the technical working group that identified the areas where mining is supposed to be banned used a map with a small scale, resulting in many areas eventually being closed to mining.
The MGB chief said around 500 mining-exploration applications stand to be affected unless a review is done to accurately pinpoint no-go zones.
Experts say the country has enormous potential in terms of resources, but has become the least attractive to investors, both local and foreign, because of inconsistent policies.