30th of March is a date to remember. It was the day the Governor of the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, Hon. Rolando Enriquez Yebes, made his State of the Province Address (SOPA). What was noteworthy (at least to us, anti-mining advocates) of the SOPA of the Governor was his declaration: “True to our commitment, never shall we allow the wanton destruction of our forests and natural resources”. He said that they have filed a consolidated opposition to the 35 Large Scale Mining Applications for Exploration Permits over an aggregate area of more or less 170,000 hectares.
In his letter to the Secretary of Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Hon Jose Atienza, dated February 27, 2009, Gov. Yebes asks Sec. Atienza and the Office of DENR to “deny favorable action on the applications/claims”.
The declaration of the Governor to oppose the entry of the 35 Large Scale Mining applications, can be interpreted as a good sign and that he is indeed a pro-environment Governor..or is he really?
As an Administration Governor and a good friend of President Gloria Arroyo, Hon. Yebes is for Responsible Mining as stated in his State of the Province Address..but what is Responsible Mining?
Responsible Mining is the current term applied to the framework of the government for the revitalization of the mining industry. This was a modification of the “Sustainable Mining” approach being espoused by the Mines, Minerals and Sustainable Development paradigm at the international level. However, global environmental groups successfully debunked the concept of “Sustainable Mining” forcing the industry to replace it with the term “Responsible Mining.”
The framework of Responsible Mining is very impressive. However, what is not easily apparent is that there has yet to be any large-scale mining operation that has completed the whole cycle of the model yet. What the model provides are examples of best practices from DIFFERENT and VARIOUS operations happening in DIFFERENT countries. The model has not been successfully closed or “looped-in” in one single mining operation in a specific area.
In our own analysis, the concept of responsible mining is a weak model, because:
A. It relies on the voluntary compliance of large-scale mining companies.
B. It highly depends on the ability of the government to enforce/ implement safeguards articulated in national laws.
C. It does not address the issue of corporate and state graft and corruption, a scenario that is not uncommon in extractive industries or third world countries.
D. There is only token recognition of safeguards such as the participatory decision making process, the free prior and informed consent process, the Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Compliance Certificate and so on.
If the good Governor, Hon. Yebes, is indeed the “steward of the bounties of nature in ZaNorte”, as what he said in his State of the Province Address, he must protect our bounties of nature from “environmental crimes”.
If the good Governor, Hon. Yebes, is against the entry of the 35 Large Scale Mining Companies because “large scale mining poses problems to the environment”, he must also take an action to put an end to the existing mining operations within the province especially that of TVI Resource Development in Canatuan, Siocon. For 12 years now, TVIRD have destroyed the lives and livelihood of the people especially the legitimate and traditional Lumads in the area and also desecrates the Sacred Mountain of the Subanens. He must stop PHILEX Gold Philippines from further exploration of the Mountains of Sibutad and Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte and the stop the so called small-scale mining activities in Sibutad.
The Board Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod must put a teeth to its statement by making an enabling act declaring a STOP to all mining operations in the Province, otherwise the Statement becomes meaningless.
As the Father of the Province, Hon. Rolando E. Yebes must heed to the cries of the poor and the Subanens who are helpless against the deceit of the Mining Companies.
Ipahunong ang pag-mina sa Yutang Kabilin!