By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
www.sunstar.com.ph

CBCP scores mining anew

Friday, February 03, 2006

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Archbishop of Jaro Angel Lagdameo reiterated their concerns on mining, which he said has evil effects to the environment and also to the people.

In his pastoral statement made January 29, which he read to the participants in the launching of the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo Inc (PGII) Wednesday, he reminded that the CBCP will no less support the amendment of the provision in the constitution on mining specifically the Mining Act of 1995 if it be evaluating the evil effects of the same.

"In 1998, we in the CBCP issued "A Statement of Concern on the Mining Act of 1995". We declared that the government mining policy is offering our lands to foreigners with liberal conditions while our people continue to grow in poverty. We stated that the adverse social impact on the affected communities far outweigh the gains promised by mining Trans-National corporations (TNCs). In our statement we also forewarned that the "implementation of the Mining Act will certainly destroy environment and people and will lead to national unrest."

Lagdameo said that they re-affirm their stand that the Mining Act of 1995 be repealed.

"We believe that the Mining Act destroys life. The right to life of people is inseparable from their right to sources of food and livelihood. Allowing the interests of big mining corporations to prevail over people's right to these sources amounts to violating their right to life. Furthermore, mining threatens people's health and environmental safety through the wanton dumping of waste and tailings in rivers and seas," he said.

He cited that the environmental tragedies involving mining transnational corporations belie all assurances of sustainable and responsible mining that the Arroyo administration is claiming.

"Increasing number of mining affected communities, Christians and non-Christians alike, are subjected to human rights violations and economic deprivations. We see no relief in sight," he said.

Lagdameo also claims that President Arroyo's "Mining Revitalization Program" is encouraging further the entry and operation of large-scale mining of TNCs.

"Alarmingly, the mining tenements granted through the program have encroached into 17 of important biodiversity areas, into 35 of national conservation priority areas, and 32 of national integrated protected areas. The promised economic benefits of mining by these transnational corporations are outweighed by the dislocation of communities especially among our indigenous brothers and sisters, the risks to health and livelihood and massive environmental damage. Mining areas remain among the poorest areas in the country such as the mining communities in Caraga, Bicol and Cordillera Regions. The cultural fabric of indigenous peoples is also being destroyed by the entry of mining corporations," he stated.

Lagdameo further revealed that the CBCP is apprehensive that the proposed deletion of the nationalist provisions in the Constitution by the Constitutional Commission (Concom) can pave the way to the wholesale plunder of "our national patrimony, and undermine our sovereignty."

(February 3, 2006 issue)

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