______________

For comments and suggestions:

Email us at feedback@insidemindanao.com

or send us a message thru our MESSAGE TO THE EDITOR portion on our homepage

First Posted on Inside Mindanao (www.insidemindanao.com) on October 26, 2008

Farmers press South Cotabato board to act on open pit mining ban
By Bong S. Sarmiento

KORONADAL CITY—About 300 farmers last October 22 marched around the main streets here to deplore the apparent delay in the approval of a provincial environment code that contains a provision banning open pit mining in South Cotabato.

The farmers demanded the immediate approval of the code with the provision on open pit mining ban—which proponents of a huge mining project and Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. want to strike out— be retained.

The protesters, which include indigenous peoples, spearheaded by the South Cotabato Farmers' Association, commenced their march at the provincial capitol at around 1 p.m. but they were not allowed by security guards to enter the compound.

Felix A. Española, the group's spokesperson, said that striking out the open pit mining ban in the environment code will pave the way for Sagittarius Mines, Inc. to operate its huge copper and gold project in the town of Tampakan, South Cotabato.

Still in exploration stage, Sagittarius' mines development site also cuts across the towns of Columbio in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.

"The approval of the environment code which bans open pit mining is taking so long," he told this reporter fresh from delivering their letter demand to Vice Gov. Eliordo U. Ogena, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Española said that allowing open pit mining method would have a heavy impact to low–lying farm lands and water systems.

"Farmers would be greatly affected because with open pit mining, erosion of surface soil is likely to occur. Even Lake Buluan [in Maguindanao and Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat] will not be spared by the siltation," he noted.

Lake Buluan, which serves as a catch basin of rainfall and water from the upland, hosts vast fish cages for the production of bangus and tilapia.

Española claimed that some members of the provincial legislative board are now allegedly favoring the environment code's passage but without the provision that prohibits open pit mining in the area.

This after the visit of some members of the provincial board to several mining sites in Mindanao some months back and the apparent pressure from the National Government through Atienza, who wrote provincial officials to strike out the open pit ban.

Jose M. Madanguit, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on environment, took exceptions to the allegations, saying that the board's members "could not be swayed by lobby or pressure groups."

"I believe that our board members are independent–minded and votes using their own conviction," he said in an earlier radio interview.

Madanguit appealed to pro and anti–mining groups not to rush the provincial board into passing the environment code, saying they need more time to study the matter.

Reports said that members of the provincial legislature are slated to visit the mining site of Lafayette Philippines, Inc in Rapu–Rapu, Albay in the next few weeks.

Sagittarius, which is controlled by major global mining player Xstrata Copper, has said that, based on initial studies, it will likely employ open—pit method for its copper and gold project.

In an earlier document, Xstrata even cited the proposed open pit ban in South Cotabato as a "legislative risk," along with pending bills in Congress calling for the repeal of the Mining Act of 2005.

"The Tampakan project may be affected by changes to the legislative framework such as a proposed South Cotabato environment code to ban the conduct of open–pit mining methods," Xstrata said.

In an earlier letter, Atienza defended the Tampakan project, asking the provincial legislature to strike out the ban on open—pit mining in the province's environment code.

"Open pit mining is a legitimate mechanized mining method which is accepted worldwide and is considered the best mining technology in extracting large, low grade, near surface, flat—bedded or massive mineral deposits," said Atienza, also the chairperson of the Minerals Development Council.

Sagittarius officials have repeatedly said that in case they will proceed to commercial operations, they would employ "responsible and sustainable mining methods."

END