MOUNT CANATUAN, Tabayo, Siocon Zamboanga del Norte,—Pending any action from concerned government agencies and the Municipal Council of Siocon, the farmers here halted the dynamite blasting of TVI mining on January 18 and 19, Raul Purigay, chairperson of the Canatuan Farmers Association (CFA), reported.

The farmers have demanded the company to stop its dynamite blasting about 60-100 meters from the farmers’ residential houses here due to its inherent danger to the inhabitants, while the company has failed to settle the problems of the communities affected.

About 70 families endangered from dynamite blasting due to splintered rocks flying to the residential houses that caused harm to the lives and farmers’ means of living, Mr. Purigay said.

In a letter sent to Engineer Yulo Perez, TVI General Manager, dated January 19, Parugay said the company has been mandated by its Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) and the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to settle first the community.

“Failure to do so, the MPSA and ECC conditions disallowed the company to conduct any mining activities,” Purigay said.

The letter demanded the company to stop from any mining activities most especially the current dynamite blasting that caused alarm to the farmers.

The company called the farmers for a dialogue at the company’s office where some women farmers faced Engineer Yulo Perez and reiterated their demand that the company must settle first the community before conducting any mining activities.

Perez retorted that TVI mining could not yet settle with the farmers especially payment of damages due to financial constraints.

The farmers have initially concluded that the company is just after income and profits but failing its obligations to settle the affected communities before conducting any mining activities as mandated by its Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) and the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

The farmers vow to continue efforts in stopping the blasting if conducted nearest to the residential houses, Mr. Purigay said.

“Since 1994, the company has been accused of violating the rights of indigenous people, farmers and other sectors within the ancestral domain and the adjacent places with several laws that the company supposed to comply with, but concerned government agencies failed to bring the company to justice,” Purigay further said. (Wendell Talibong)