MERGED: Mining Issues

[grabehbebe]

---

Palace: Mining need not be destructive

MALACAÑANG said yesterday that it can strike a balance between development of mining resources and environmental protection even as it came under fresh attack from a militant organization which accused President Arroyo of using the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission (RRFFC) to mollify the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

The Palace issued the statement shortly after rejecting the RRFFC’s recommendation to cancel the license of Lafayette Philippines Inc., owned by Australia’s Lafayette Mining Ltd., due to two mine tailings spills in Rapu-Rapu island off Sorsogon last year.

The commission also recommended a review of the liberalized mining law’s provisions on the ownership and management of mining firms and operations.

President Arroyo herself created the RRFFC, headed by Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, to look into the environmental impact, including reported fish kills, of Lafayette’s twin mine tailings spills.

The commission was created after the CBCP called for the repeal of the Mining Act in a pastoral letter issued last January. The CBCP said mining "destroys life."

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the use of legal, political and technological resources can enable government to achieve the goal to balance the creation of jobs in the mining sector with strict environmental protection measures.

"We should not adopt the defeatist attitude of an either-or situation," Bunye said.
He said what is important is to maximize the country’s natural resources to alleviate poverty while ensuring the well-being of the communities.

"The Arroyo administration is for the full implementation of the Mining Act but always under strict implementation of environmental safeguards. Social justice can go hand in hand with economic growth," he said.

Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya (Pa-malakaya) said Bunye’s assurance to foreign investors that the mining industry is still a government priority for development was tantamount to rejecting the RRFFC’s report.

"Malacañang merely exploited the Rapu-Rapu commission, (which) it created in vain try to please and calm down the protesting bishops of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the people staging a collective mass upheaval against Lafayette Mining. Now, Malacañang is singing the same pro-mining tune, despite the objective and collective report of the commission calling for Lafayette’s closure," Pama-lakaya chairman Fernando Hicap said.

The group urged Arroyo instead to file criminal and civil charges against Lafayette on the strength of the findings of the RRFFC.

"Malacañang should ready the charge sheet against Lafayette anytime this week. This is a make or break situation for Mrs. Arroyo and the rabid pro-mining group in the Palace," Hicap said.

Hicap said the government has to choose between the "interest of the people and the interest of its mining client in Australia."

"Will President Arroyo go against the anti-mining gospel of Bishop Arturo Bastes in favor of the multi-million peso commission of the Office of the President from Lafayette mining?" Hicap said.

"The ball is now in Malacañang’s court. The Filipino public is now waiting for the concrete and politically correct action that should be undertaken by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the name of public accountability and national interest," Hicap said.

Aside from recommending the scrapping of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) issued to Lafayette for violating 11 of 29 conditions in its ECC, the Bastes Commission also proposed the creation of an independent mining authority that would monitor the effects of mining on people’s health and the environment.

Environmental group Green-peace said the RRFFC’s 169-page report upheld "environmental integrity and social justice over short-term economic benefits alleged by Australian firm Lafayette."

Greenpeace said they hope the President will listen to "the clamor of the people of Albay and Sorsogon to decide to keep the mines on Rapu-Rapu closed as the negative environmental, social and economic impacts to the communities far outweigh the alleged benefits."– Regina Bengco and Reinir Padua

http://www.malaya.com.ph/may22/news5.htm

[baron]

I'd say we have to explore our mining potentials, it will bring us resources as well as it will give jobs to our people. What we need is to explore the mining potentials responsibly. We should exhaust the resources but we should not abuse it. Otherwise, we know that this will not be good for our environment and in the end, people will suffer.

With the decision of the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of the Mining Act of 1995, I know that there is an enabling law that will prevent any abuse to our environment when it comes to our mining resources.

As I said, we can start mining, we just have to do it responsibly.

[iloveyou4ever]

it create jobs. mining is not an issue. its the corruption!

[soilentgreen]

Stop Lafayette From Polluting Our Seas!

Send a petition to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo



In many places, pollution from mining operations damages marine habitats and contaminates seafood consumed by local people, threatening our oceans and ultimately ourselves and our future.

In the Philippines, Bicol’s immensely beautiful marine environment and its fragile sea creatures face a grave threat—toxic pollution and siltation caused by mining operations in Rapu Rapu Island in Albay.

The pristine waters of the Bicol region are acknowledged as the feeding grounds and migratory route of the whale shark, the largest fish in the sea. It is also home to five of the seven known marine turtles in the world, and its rich seagrass beds and mangroves, which make for a high marine biodiversity index, have turned the area into exceptionally rich fishing grounds for the region’s fishermen.

The Philippine government allowed Australian firm Lafayette Philippines Inc to start the extraction of gold, silver, copper and zinc within Rapu Rapu in April 2005 despite strong opposition from local and national groups concerned that toxic mine tailings will be released into the sea. Clearly, the island is a dangerous place for a mine: not only is it situated along the country’s typhoon belt, but also along a major fault, making it a high-risk area for mining catastrophes. During its few - months of operation, the mining company showed negligence and government agencies, such as the Environmental Management Bureau and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, failed to act on behalf of the people and environment. In October and November 2005, cyanide and other contaminants from the mine spilled into the sea and around the island, resulting in massive fish kills.

On May 19, 2006, a government-commissioned report recommended canceling the license of Lafayette in Rapu Rapu and a moratorium on all mining at Rapu Rapu. Greenpeace is running a petition to President Gloria Arroyo to follow the recommendations of the Rapu Rapu Factfinding Commission. The Greenpeace petition calls for permanent closure of the mine and obligation or Lafayette to clean and rehabilitate the mine site so that further damage can be avoided.

Take Action!


Ask President Arroyo to permanently close down Lafayette Mine in Rapu Rapu Island!

Visit the link below to write a letter


http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/...from-polluting

[weedmeister2]

Done! :mrgreen:

[dagget]

if you really hate mining

then stop using your computer

a PC has copper, aluminum, silver, zinc and nickel

don't use the internet since you are using copper wires in you network

don't eat canned goods since tin is used in making them

don't watch cable TV since the cable is made of copper

don't use silver spoons and fork

don't use stainless steel knives, cooking utensils

don't even drink water since the pipes are made of stainless steel

don't buy a car it has copper, aluminum, iron, nickel, chrome

don't use a bike its made of stainless steel

don't wear your shirt, underwear since they use sewing machines made of stainless steel

don't get a haircut and don't shave since the scissors and blades are stainless steel

everything you are using right now comes from a mine............ get real...........

[athlon XP-M]

Here is the side from Lafayette.


http://www.lafayettemining.com/docum...ate-190506.pdf

The Bastes Commision lacks the scientific backing and somehow biased.

[grabehbebe]

Independent panel on mining sought

Lawmakers are inclined to create an independent body that will ensure that mining companies adhere to safe and environment-friendly practices and prevent mine tailing spills and other accidents, lawmakers also agreed that there are provisions in the Mining Act which urgently need to be revised.

Leyte Rep. Eduardo Veloso said that the recommendations were not just about scrapping the environmental compliance certificate of Lafayette. Perhaps they can study its recommendation to create an independent mining authority to monitor the effects of mining on people’s health and the environment.

But Veloso disagreed with minority bloc members who supported a proposal by the fact-finding team led by Bishop Arturo Bastes to stop Lafayette and other mining firms’ operations, saying that such a ban will deprive the country of significant revenue apart from economic opportunities.

Veloso estimated that the mining industry may infuse P17 billion to P23 billion in revenues and is expected to generate at least 240,000 jobs in six years.

“We cannot let this opportunity pass. The mining industry will greatly boost our economic growth and the President’s agenda of job creation,” the lawmaker stressed.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...s04_may23_2006

[wanderlust]

Have you seen a mining area? The mountains are destroyed, the rivers are heavily silted, and the area is totally polluted. Would this enough to compensate for the money you are going to earn? Look at Lafayette, its destroying the entire Rapu rapu island. People suffered. nature will suffer. And in areas where there are mining, wala man mi asenso ang mga tao. nangasakit nuon.

Walang asenso ang mga tao because they never learned to save money. Sa umpisa ng pagmimina lahat kumikita, maraming pera. But ultimately naghihirap pa rin because of wrong priorities. It's not fair to blame all of the suffering of the people to mining, dahil nakinabang din sila dito.

While I agree that offending companies must be penalized, it's not fair to blame the whole industry for it. What is needed is better monitoring so that mining companies, especially small ones, to ensure that the safeguards imposed by the Mining Act are properly implemented.

[patsadahon]

I dont favor mining. Makadaot sa environment and health. Kurikongon lang ang mga tawo. Look at Lafayette.