Groups Urge Yellow PNoy to “Turn Green”: Says mining in South Cotabato is test case

Manila – President Aquino was urged yesterday by various environmental organizations to “turn green” and herald the use of sustainable development as a guidepost for his “tuwid na daan” (righteous road) policy. The assertion was issued in reaction to the statement issued by ten mining companies last week, urging the President to resolve the stand-off in the controversial Tampkan mining project in South Cotabato.

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) national coordinator Jaybee Garganera, said that PNoy must consider seriously the environmental, social and political implications of this issue, aside from the alleged economic impacts of shutting down the mining project, as cautioned by the mining companies.  “We have evidence that shows that mining has not delivered on its promises of investments, tax revenue and employment in the last five years”, he said. Garganera was referring to a research study they conducted that assessed the performance of the mining sector in the previous Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2004-2010.  “And yet, mining has introduced grave impacts to local communities and national security, as mining increases our vulnerability to climate disasters, human rights abuses and restraining local autonomy for LGUs”, Garganera added. “PNoy must ensure that environmental concerns are equally considered, in the light of the unmet and empty economic promises of the mining industry”, he concluded.

Last July 29, 2010, then Governor Daisy Fuentes signed the Provincial Environment Code of South Cotabato, which contained a provision banning open-pit mining in the province.  Now sitting in Congress as Representative for the 2^nd District of South Cotabato, Fuentes had earlier described the ordinance as a “victory for the environment and the people of South Cotabato”.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat of Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) has lent its support to the local ordinance.  Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Secretary of NASSA affirmed the continuing stance of CBCP to oppose large-scale mining, as this was not consistent with the Catholic Social Teachings.

Meanwhile, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC-FOEI) Executive Director Judy Pasimio said, “The environment code has been signed and it cannot be compromised. It is high time that the new administration show us that it will not quash local autonomy and sustainable development by allowing mining operations in Tampakan to proceed”.  LRC assisted the Sangguninang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato in the last five years in crating the local environment law.  She added that “This is not only a test case for the Yellow President to ‘turn green’ but also a measure for his recognition of genuine local autonomy as part of the ‘tuwid na daan’ (righteous road).  

Relatedly,  HARIBON Foundation Executive Director Blas Tabaranza firmly stated that “the provincial government of South Cotabato has decided that it values an intact environment and not a big hole in the ground. The DENR, as a national agency mandated to protect the environment, should listen clearly to what the  LGU is saying. Maybe if gold is suddenly found beneath the DENR office and machines are poised to dig a big hole, then the situation will be different”, he added.

“Open-pit mining is the most destructive method of mining. We supported the passage of the local code in South Cotabato for the protection and conservation of the environment, and we cannot allow foreign-mining companies  to win over this, despite the clear statement of the provincial government that they will not  allow open-pit mining in their area”.  Garganera reiterated.  

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs and other civil society organizations who are opposing the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining in the Philippines. The group is calling for the scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the enactment of a new mineral management law.  They are also pushing for the revocation of EO 270-A and a moratorium on all large-scale mining applications and operations.  ATM is convened by HARIBON Foundation, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Kasama sa Kalikasan / Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC-KsK/FOEI) and the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA).