| Written by Jong Cadion,
on 03-08-2007 10:47
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Views : 1497  |
Favoured : 20 |
Published in : The News, Environment News |
Tags : unconstitutional, capitalization, constitutional, dissemination, investigative, organizations, agricultural, apllications, applications, successfully, |
Page 1 of 2 Zamboanga del Sur: A Mining Holocaust?Stop Mining Operations….Diocese of Pagadian At least 16-speakers coming from the different groups and organizations reporting their findings why they are against on the mining operations in the whole area in Zamboanga Peninsula during the press conference conducted July 29, 2007 at the Formation House, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur.
Pictured at left is what is now the waste dump area of White Rock Mining Corporation in Guripan,Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur. unusable to its farmers, and might be a toxic land. The mining operation was closed and after thirty years that dump area had been barren.
The press conference was called by the DOPIM, thru Parish Priest Fr. Riolito R. Ramos bringing the theme “KINAIYAHAN: Gasa sa Kahitas-an, Atong Ampingan Alang sa Umaabot nga Kaliwatan.” Speakers coming from the Earthlinks & the Diocese of Pagadian reported on the present status on coastal environment, garbage, forest lands, the lives of the Lumads, the lowly farmers and mining issues, while speakers from the Dumingag Parish discussed on the issues of gambling, mining and farming. Other speakers who came from the Diocese of Dipolog City, talked on the TVI operations in Canatuan and reported also on human rights violations transpired against the Subanen farmers in the area.. Reynaldo S. Marcellana, Team Chairman of EarthLinks said that after they successfully filed their petitions against the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 or R.A. 7942 they were happy when the Supreme Court declared that the law unconstitutional last January 2005 but suddenly they were dismayed after the Supreme Court reversed its decision that R.A 7942 in constitutional by December of the same year.
“The reverse decision of the Supreme Court was possibly done because of the petition from the big mining companies and the pressure from Malacañang and because of this the Supreme Court recognized the power of the President and of the Congress to sign the Financial & Technical Agreement or FTAA to the foreign companies for the exploration. In other words, our country is open again to foreign investment and capitalization,” Marcellana said. RA 7942 itself do not do good to the Pilipino people because of the fact that it gave foreign investors 100% capital share for selling the minerals without passing the Central Bank, giving 10-years tax exemption, and to conduct mining operations without recognizing the private land owners, meaning the law violates the national sovereignty of every Filipino,” he added.
As of now, after the Supreme Court reversed its decision, a total of twenty six (26) mining companies including TVIRD filed their application to operate in Zamboanga Del Sur; in Dumingag alone a total of eleven (11) mining companies filed their applications. See more next page with picture of Siocon dump site
Last update : 22-01-2008 12:06
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(0 vote)
I'm not that sure about barangay guripan in mahayag. i never lived there when the mining company still operates (i was not yet born then) in the area but i was able visit it just last June. people there told me that the last operation was 20 years ago, but i could still smell the chemicals drowned directly to the ground (masakit sa ilong!!!). personally, i dont want it to happen to the farmlands affected by the proposed mining operations in our province. anyway, mining is not the only way for us to improve our lives...marami pang ibang paraan...