TANDAG BISHOP AND GOVERNOR ON COLLISION COURSE ON CANTILAN MINING

I read this article somewhere. The author, probably of the sensitivity of the issue, choose to only indicate his initials which I construe as his preference to remain his identity as secret. Anyway here’s the article that is dividing the people of Surigao del Sur.

SURIGAO GOVERNOR ENDORSES MINING BUT CHURCH GROUPS, TOWN EXECS, IRRIGATORS OPPOSE IT

The long standing conflict of principles between leaderships of the Roman Catholic Church and the Surigao Provincial government worsened anew after Surigao del Sur Governor Vicente T. Pimentel Jr., in front of church leaders and an estimated 8,000 crowd who attended a public forum on mining, openly criticized the church in its continuing opposition against mining operations.

During the public consultations on Environmental Impact Assessment held at Cantilan Gym for the proposed nickel project of mining firm Marc Ventures Mining and Development Corporation, Pimentel said that while the church and other mining groups opposed mining operations it cannot however present alternative jobs for the unemployed in the province. “The Church wants the people to be poor so that people would constantly supplicate on them. We should not allow them to dictate to us. How will the anti-mining advocates solved unemployment?” Gov. Pimentel said.

Pimentel in his speech as if showing assurance, declared that in 10 years, there will be no more poor people in Carrascal town where most of the mining firms are operating saying “everybody will have jobs because of mining. We should give mining operations a chance to solve the unemployment problem in Surigao del Sur.” Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar who is the current Vice President of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and symbolic leader of anti mining advocates was present.

The Association of Barangay Captains of Cantilan issued resolution denouncing Bishop Odchimar for allegedly misinforming government officials particularly DENR Secretary Lito Atienza and President Arroyo and the public for his anti mining advocacies.

Angered by the ABC resolution short of calling him a liar, Bishop Odchimar asked Cantilan ABC officials to publicly apologize or face criminal charges.

Bishop Odchimar criticized the P90,000 per Barangay Captain cash benefits and other assistance including P20-M rehabilitation works of Barangay road and bridges given by Marc Ventures Mining as “bribery” since its ECC has not yet been approved. According to the anti-mining groups, Pimentel’s family themselves particularly businessman Clarence T. Pimentel owns one of the biggest mining concessions in the province which are all now operating and hauling nickel ores to foreign countries.

Environmentalist groups mostly church based and even town officials headed by Cantilan Mayor Tomasa Guardo in reply to Pimentel, said large-scale mining operations employ only a few since most activities are done by huge machineries, trucks and equipment. They said that mining already destroyed the coastal areas and seas due to silting where countless fisher folks and families were depending their livelihood and daily subsistence. They claimed mining activities destroy forest, farms where countless of farmers depend not only livelihood but their source of food and indigenous medicines.

“And because Philippine government institutions who are supposed to protect environment and imposed laws to prevent environmental disasters are weaklings and always at the mercy of politicians and their rich trader and miner allies due to perceived corruption.

Environmentalis groups added that in reality only a few are benefited in mining in the process citing many sad experiences in the past where mining areas are abandoned and posed danger to humans allegedly like the huge tailings Pond No. 7 loaded with toxic materials of the abandoned Manila Mining Company mines which towers over Placer town (in Surigao del Norte). Environmentalist federated group, Baywatch Foundation Inc. President Emma Hotchkiss told DENR Assistant Secretary Jeremiah Dolino who is present at the forum that based on the group’s experienced with concerned government agencies in responding to legitimate issues like why for so many years the areas in questioned were not declared watershed areas despite its being the sour of irrigation water supply for thousands of ricelands, responsible mining is an “oxymoron” .

Marc Ventures Mining and Development (MMDC) owned by businessman Mario Vijungco, has an approved Mineral Production Sharing Agreement to mine Cantilan town of nickel with an area of 4,786 hectares is applying for an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) before the DENR and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Before the issuance of ECC, public consultations are needed or even a must as provided by the provisions of the Mining Act of 1995. The local government units were the mining is done usually will issue resolutions particularly if it will endorse approval of the mining.

Cantilan, Surigao del Sur mayor Tomasa Guardo persistently in public said she is not issuing any approval for mining and vowed not to issue business permit to mining company MarcVentures who is now holding office in Cantilan town. It was not known on whether Marc Ventures Mining office in this town has a business permit.