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Appointment of Pro-mining DENR Secretary sparks fear among Indigenous groups
MANILA, Philippines – Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide, feared the appointment of longtime Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) director Horacio Ramos as the new Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary that will put indigenous groups at higher risk to injustices.
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Philippine Resources Not For Sale
The outgoing administration is brazenly relentless in perpetuating the destruction it has wrought our communities and ecosystems. With just four months to go, President Arroyo has placed Horacio Ramos, the country’s long running top mining bureaucrat, at the helm of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
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Civil society laments lack of impartial investigation into the burning of school building in Tampakan
By Erwin B. Quinones of LRC⁄KsK–FoE Phils KORONADAL CITY—Last February 1, the school building of Datal Biao Elementary School in Barangay Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato was burned by still unidentified men. The military blames the New People's Army (NPA) of the mine site atrocity. Datal Biao lies within the Mine Development Area of Xtrata–SMI.
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Civil society laments lack of impartial investigation into the burning of school building in Tampakan
KORONADAL CITY—Last February 1, the school building of Datal Biao Elementary School in Barangay Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato was burned by still unidentified men. The military blames the New People's Army (NPA) of the mine site atrocity. Datal Biao lies within the Mine Development Area of Xtrata–SMI.
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PRESS RELEASE
p style=text-align: justify;20 December 2009/p
p style=text-align: center; align=centerfont color=#008000strongPhilippine climate activists outraged at outcome of Copenhagen climate talks/strong/font/p
p style=text-align: justify;COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (19 DECEMBER 2009)- Climate activists from the Philippines express their dismay and opposition to the non-binding Copenhagen Accord and the adoption made by the Philippine government for it in the recent concluded 15supth/sup Conference of Partice (COP 15) in Copenhagen./p
pa href=http://www.kalikasan.org/cms/?q=node/312read more/a/p
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PRESS STATEMENT
pNov. 23, 2009/p
p align=centerfont size=3 color=#008000strongKalumbay denounces latest lumad killing/strong/font/p
pGovernment strikes again!/p
pKalumbay, the regional formation of indigenous peoples' organization, condemns today in the strongest term possible the killing of another lumad leader on Friday, Nov. 20, and demands government accountability for the unabated killings of progressive lumad leaders in the region with impunity and heedless occurrence./p
pa href=http://www.kalikasan.org/cms/?q=node/310read more/a/p
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Press Release
pNovember 23, 2009/p
p style=text-align: center;strongfont color=#008000Green groups expresssed solidarity with protesters vs. large scale mining in Mindoro island/font/strong/p
pEnvironmental groups have expressed solidarity to the ongoing struggle of the Mangyans and Mindorenos for the stoppage of Intex Mining and protection of environment in Mindoro Island./p
pa href=http://www.kalikasan.org/cms/?q=node/309read more/a/p
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Lumads underscore NCIP’s FPIC Guidelines as facilitator of development aggression
Brgy. Tiguma, Pagadian - More than 50 Subanen leaders & traditional chieftains of Zamboanga Peninsula have gathered here to draft their own guidelines for the Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) process to be undergone by prospective multinational corporations planning to enter their ancestral domains. This is in response to their frustration with the NCIP FPIC Guidelines of 2006 which had only led to a higher incidence of development aggression in Subanen territories brought about by mining and
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Surigao del Sur Town Fights Big Bucks Mining Company!
Cantilan, Surigao del Sur - About 2,000 thousand Cantilangnons converged at the triangle in the highway crossing in Brgy. Pag-antayan Monday morning, November 16, 2009 to install a checkpoint aimed at preventing (Marcventures Mining & Development Corporation) from transporting its ore to its illegally constructed stockyard in Brgy. Consuelo. It will be manned round the clock by the local police and volunteers.
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Press Release
p12 November 2009/p
p style=text-align: center;font size=3 color=#008000strongGreen groups call for US through its Secretary of State to pay its environmental crimes to the Filipinos/strong/font/p
p style=text-align: justify;Reports have claimed that climate change and the show of support and solidarity with the victims of the recent typhoon of Pepeng and Ondoy are part of the agenda of Hillary Clinton in her one-day visit to the country. However, environmental groups remain skeptic as to the real intentions of US and just how genuine our supposedly superb foreign relations./p
pa href=http://www.kalikasan.org/cms/?q=node/305read more/a/p
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Caraga mining concerns cited
Vol. XXII, No. 163
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Economy
MINING stakeholders in northeastern Mindanao are pushing for faster action on applications for permits, as well as harmonious ties with the church and host communities.
In a consultation meeting with the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, officials of the Chamber of Mines Caraga, Inc. (CMCI) cited as key concerns the need for faster action on permits, lack of skilled manpower, difficulty in securing financing amid tightening credit, and economic sustainability of host mining communities.
CMCI President Dulmar M. Raagas asked the "Environment Secretary to issue an order that will expedite the processing of applications."
To date, there are 125 exploration permits under processing in the region; 16 have already been approved while 19 were denied.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Economy
MINING stakeholders in northeastern Mindanao are pushing for faster action on applications for permits, as well as harmonious ties with the church and host communities.
In a consultation meeting with the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, officials of the Chamber of Mines Caraga, Inc. (CMCI) cited as key concerns the need for faster action on permits, lack of skilled manpower, difficulty in securing financing amid tightening credit, and economic sustainability of host mining communities.
CMCI President Dulmar M. Raagas asked the "Environment Secretary to issue an order that will expedite the processing of applications."
To date, there are 125 exploration permits under processing in the region; 16 have already been approved while 19 were denied.
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Villagers feel heat for stand vs pollution
March 18, 2009
Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Visayas Bureau
ILOILO CITY– Residents of Semirara Island in Antique are allegedly being pressured to withdraw their petition against alleged pollution coming from coal mining on the island.
Roland Lavega, barangay captain of Alegria, said in a telephone interview on Monday that residents of his barangay fear for their safety after several village watchmen of the neighbouring Barangay Semirara went to their houses “pressuring” them to sign a document that says they were unaware of the contents of the petition that they signed against alleged pollution caused by coal mining.
Juniper Barroquillo, Semirara Mining Co. (SMC) administrative manager said the firm, which operates one of the biggest coal mines in Asia in Semirara, has nothing to do with the signature gathering campaign.
Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Visayas Bureau
ILOILO CITY– Residents of Semirara Island in Antique are allegedly being pressured to withdraw their petition against alleged pollution coming from coal mining on the island.
Roland Lavega, barangay captain of Alegria, said in a telephone interview on Monday that residents of his barangay fear for their safety after several village watchmen of the neighbouring Barangay Semirara went to their houses “pressuring” them to sign a document that says they were unaware of the contents of the petition that they signed against alleged pollution caused by coal mining.
Juniper Barroquillo, Semirara Mining Co. (SMC) administrative manager said the firm, which operates one of the biggest coal mines in Asia in Semirara, has nothing to do with the signature gathering campaign.
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Masbate bishop backs farmers, fisherfolk vs mining in Aroroy town
LEGAZPI CITY, March 17, 2009—Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon has expressed concern over the outpouring sentiments of farmers and fisher folk staging a series of mass rally against the operations of Filminera Mining Corporation (FMC), an Australian-Canadian based mining firm that scheduled a full blast open pit mining in Aroroy town on March 20, 2009.
In a press statement released to the media yesterday, the Social Action Foundation of the Diocese of Masbate consider that it is the Church duty and responsibility to vigorously oppose the open pit mining in the town of Aroroy “as sign of our faith and understanding that we are stewards of God’s creation and are accountable to Him who created everything in our world to be good”.
The church’s response, represented by Fr. Leo Casas of the Social Action Centre, came amidst fear from Association of Concerned Residents of Aroroy (ACRA) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) that a battalion of soldiers flown in to said mining town might ignite the volatile situation where affected residents of the mining areas have staged a series of mass rally since March 14, 2009, to continuously air their opposition to the operations of FMC.
In a press statement released to the media yesterday, the Social Action Foundation of the Diocese of Masbate consider that it is the Church duty and responsibility to vigorously oppose the open pit mining in the town of Aroroy “as sign of our faith and understanding that we are stewards of God’s creation and are accountable to Him who created everything in our world to be good”.
The church’s response, represented by Fr. Leo Casas of the Social Action Centre, came amidst fear from Association of Concerned Residents of Aroroy (ACRA) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) that a battalion of soldiers flown in to said mining town might ignite the volatile situation where affected residents of the mining areas have staged a series of mass rally since March 14, 2009, to continuously air their opposition to the operations of FMC.
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Firm says typhoon caused siltation
by Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas | Philippine Daily Inquirer | March 1, 2009
SEMIRARA ISLAND, Antique—The Semirara Mining Company (SMC) has denied allegations of residents that wastes coming from its mining operations on this island have caused siltation that contaminated and damaged mangrove trees and other coastal resources.
The company instead blamed typhoon “Frank” last year and previous storms for the siltation and the death of mangroves along the Suja Creek in Barangay Semirara, one of the three villages of the island.
“It was the storm that damaged the mangroves and they have already been replanted,” SMC administrative manager Juniper Barroquillo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday.
Barroquillo said that the heavy rains brought by the typhoon triggered a run-off from the 10-meter-old coal stockpile near the creek.
Inquirer Visayas | Philippine Daily Inquirer | March 1, 2009
SEMIRARA ISLAND, Antique—The Semirara Mining Company (SMC) has denied allegations of residents that wastes coming from its mining operations on this island have caused siltation that contaminated and damaged mangrove trees and other coastal resources.
The company instead blamed typhoon “Frank” last year and previous storms for the siltation and the death of mangroves along the Suja Creek in Barangay Semirara, one of the three villages of the island.
“It was the storm that damaged the mangroves and they have already been replanted,” SMC administrative manager Juniper Barroquillo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday.
Barroquillo said that the heavy rains brought by the typhoon triggered a run-off from the 10-meter-old coal stockpile near the creek.
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San Miguel subsidiary eyes Laiban Dam project
02/09/2009 | 02:24 PM
GMA News TV
MANILA, Philippines- San Miguel Corp., Southeast Asia's largest food and
beverage conglomerate, is seeking to partner with the government for the
development of a dam project seen to supply future water needs of Metro
Manila.
In a statement, San Miguel said wholly-owned subsidiary San Miguel Bulk
Water Co. Inc. (SMBWCI) it has submitted an unsolicited proposal for a
joint venture project to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System
for the development of Laiban Dam.
San Miguel added SMBWCI and its foreign partner will enter into a
cooperative joint venture with MWSS to secure financing, construct,
operate and maintain the project.
The plan for project will include the construction of the dam and
headworks, raw water conveyance facilities, water treatment plant,
GMA News TV
MANILA, Philippines- San Miguel Corp., Southeast Asia's largest food and
beverage conglomerate, is seeking to partner with the government for the
development of a dam project seen to supply future water needs of Metro
Manila.
In a statement, San Miguel said wholly-owned subsidiary San Miguel Bulk
Water Co. Inc. (SMBWCI) it has submitted an unsolicited proposal for a
joint venture project to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System
for the development of Laiban Dam.
San Miguel added SMBWCI and its foreign partner will enter into a
cooperative joint venture with MWSS to secure financing, construct,
operate and maintain the project.
The plan for project will include the construction of the dam and
headworks, raw water conveyance facilities, water treatment plant,
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Mining firm backed group acquires water rights in Vizcaya town
Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV
January 24, 2009
BAYOMBONG, Philippines – Water has become a highly precious resource. There are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil. In this landlocked province, it can cost more than life.
After paying their dues to the government for the use of water to irrigate their farmlands, an irrigators association in one of Nueva Vizcaya's mining towns is now in limbo due to lack of education and not having the capacity to pay a lawyer after another association, with the backing of a mining firm seeking for water rights in the same town, seemed to have beaten them to a draw.
Servillano Germono, leader of a farmers group in sitio Dipilipig, Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya claimed that they already applied for water permit and have been paying their dues to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the use of irrigation canals and its facilities as evidenced by receipts issued by the same agency dating back to the 1980's.
January 24, 2009
BAYOMBONG, Philippines – Water has become a highly precious resource. There are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil. In this landlocked province, it can cost more than life.
After paying their dues to the government for the use of water to irrigate their farmlands, an irrigators association in one of Nueva Vizcaya's mining towns is now in limbo due to lack of education and not having the capacity to pay a lawyer after another association, with the backing of a mining firm seeking for water rights in the same town, seemed to have beaten them to a draw.
Servillano Germono, leader of a farmers group in sitio Dipilipig, Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya claimed that they already applied for water permit and have been paying their dues to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the use of irrigation canals and its facilities as evidenced by receipts issued by the same agency dating back to the 1980's.
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ANOTHER ILLEGALLY CUT LUMBERS, CONFISCATED
January 10, 2009
San Roque, Northern Samar – following the mandate as deputized implementor of anti-illegal logging operations in the area, another bulk of illegally cut lumbers was confiscated by the Army's 63rd Infantry Division at Brgy. Malobago, San Roque, Northern Samar at around 5 p.m., Friday, January 9.
The confiscation took place when the combined elements of Headquarters and Alpha companies of this battalion lead by 2nd Lt. Richard Kadil while conducting recruitment of CAFGU's at the aforesaid barangay sighted the said lumbers within the vicinity waiting to be hauled.
The illegally cut lumbers counted about 80 pieces of 1x12x3 with a total of 800 board feet were taken cared of by the certain Gil Morillo and Linggoy Baluyot, both residents of this municipality.
When asked by the troops regarding the legality of the said illegal lumbers, the duo pointed their fingers to the mayor of San Roque, Hon. Andre Abalon to be the owner of the said illegally cut lumbers.
San Roque, Northern Samar – following the mandate as deputized implementor of anti-illegal logging operations in the area, another bulk of illegally cut lumbers was confiscated by the Army's 63rd Infantry Division at Brgy. Malobago, San Roque, Northern Samar at around 5 p.m., Friday, January 9.
The confiscation took place when the combined elements of Headquarters and Alpha companies of this battalion lead by 2nd Lt. Richard Kadil while conducting recruitment of CAFGU's at the aforesaid barangay sighted the said lumbers within the vicinity waiting to be hauled.
The illegally cut lumbers counted about 80 pieces of 1x12x3 with a total of 800 board feet were taken cared of by the certain Gil Morillo and Linggoy Baluyot, both residents of this municipality.
When asked by the troops regarding the legality of the said illegal lumbers, the duo pointed their fingers to the mayor of San Roque, Hon. Andre Abalon to be the owner of the said illegally cut lumbers.
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Fish digestions help keep the oceans healthy
by Michael Kahn
Jan. 15, 2009
LONDON (Reuters)
The digestive systems of fish play a vital role in maintaining the health of the oceans and moderating climate change, researchers said on Thursday.
Computer models showed how bony fish produced a large portion of the inorganic carbon that helps maintain the oceans' acidity balance and was vital for marine life, they said.
The world's bony fish population, estimated at between 812 million and 2 billion tons, helped to limit the consequences of climate change through its effect on the carbon cycle, University of British Columbia researchers reported in the journal Science.
"This study is really the first glimpse of the huge impact fish have on our carbon cycle -- and why we need them in the ocean," researcher Villy Christensen and colleagues wrote.
Jan. 15, 2009
LONDON (Reuters)
The digestive systems of fish play a vital role in maintaining the health of the oceans and moderating climate change, researchers said on Thursday.
Computer models showed how bony fish produced a large portion of the inorganic carbon that helps maintain the oceans' acidity balance and was vital for marine life, they said.
The world's bony fish population, estimated at between 812 million and 2 billion tons, helped to limit the consequences of climate change through its effect on the carbon cycle, University of British Columbia researchers reported in the journal Science.
"This study is really the first glimpse of the huge impact fish have on our carbon cycle -- and why we need them in the ocean," researcher Villy Christensen and colleagues wrote.
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National confab on wetlands, climate change and biodiversity conservation in Dumaguete, the Philippines
Philippines News Agency
January 12, 2009
Monday
Some 100 participants from government agencies, non-government organizations, the academe and the private sector are gathered in Dumaguete to attend the three-day National Conference on Wetlands, Climate Change Adaptation and Bio-diversity Conservation. The conference, which reeled off Monday at Silliman University here, aims to set the stage for a national police framework on wetlands.
Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) explained that the activity will also look into the country’s current actions and policies on wetlands and how these relate to climate change and bio-diversity. “Wetlands are basically a rich resource in terms of bio-diversity and ultimately, at the end of the day, loss of bio-diversity is the firm reason of climate change, he said. The Philippines has plenty of wetlands, such as marshlands, lakes, rivers, and coral reefs, that are taken for granted, Gerochi lamented.
January 12, 2009
Monday
Some 100 participants from government agencies, non-government organizations, the academe and the private sector are gathered in Dumaguete to attend the three-day National Conference on Wetlands, Climate Change Adaptation and Bio-diversity Conservation. The conference, which reeled off Monday at Silliman University here, aims to set the stage for a national police framework on wetlands.
Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) explained that the activity will also look into the country’s current actions and policies on wetlands and how these relate to climate change and bio-diversity. “Wetlands are basically a rich resource in terms of bio-diversity and ultimately, at the end of the day, loss of bio-diversity is the firm reason of climate change, he said. The Philippines has plenty of wetlands, such as marshlands, lakes, rivers, and coral reefs, that are taken for granted, Gerochi lamented.
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Check tree poisoning in Subic
SubicBay.Ph
January 18, 2009
Sunday
The Environment Management Bureau has obtained soil samples from a two-hectare tract of land leased to a Korean casino and hotel project at the Subic Bay Freeport to verify reports about the alleged poisoning of more than 300 trees there, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said on Saturday.
"We found no trees being cut, and as far as allegations that the soil has been poisoned, we instructed our people in the field, the EMB director himself, to test the soil samples we got," Atienza told the Inquirer on the sidelines of the 2009 Asian Waterbird Census here.
Alerts about the poisoning reached the Inquirer through several text messages, some from unregistered senders.
Hefty amounts of salt, the senders said, have been poured on the ground where the trees stood.
January 18, 2009
Sunday
The Environment Management Bureau has obtained soil samples from a two-hectare tract of land leased to a Korean casino and hotel project at the Subic Bay Freeport to verify reports about the alleged poisoning of more than 300 trees there, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said on Saturday.
"We found no trees being cut, and as far as allegations that the soil has been poisoned, we instructed our people in the field, the EMB director himself, to test the soil samples we got," Atienza told the Inquirer on the sidelines of the 2009 Asian Waterbird Census here.
Alerts about the poisoning reached the Inquirer through several text messages, some from unregistered senders.
Hefty amounts of salt, the senders said, have been poured on the ground where the trees stood.
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