Province of Marinduque reiterates 50-year large-scale mining moratorium

The Norwegian Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Contact Point (NCP) has decided to send another independent investigator to the Philippines to inquire about Intex Resources Inc. activities at Mindoro Nickel.(taken from the Q2 and half yearly financial report 2010 published in Norway on Friday, 27 August 2010, page 6).

The previous case processing Officer H.E. Knut Solem, the Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Em-bassy in Manila had this to say in his report (18th January, 2010):

“The Norwegian Company Intex Resources has been granted a licence and is planning to undertake nickel mining operations on the Philippine island of Mindoro. This mining project is disputed. There is strong resistance from the Catholic Church in the Philippines, from the regional authorities and from various NGOs, including international organizations. On the other hand, strong support has also been expressed by, for example, the local indigenous population and the federal authorities, who see this as one of their priority mining projects. The population in the area appears to be divided... It is difficult for the embassy to judge the legitimacy of the political processes that have occurred... The watershed issue is complicated. Here too the claims contradict each other. Environmental risk consequence analyses suggest that the mining project is reasonable, and that the mine area itself is not on a critical watershed. However, there are other statements and votes where the majority (4-3) says there is a critical watershed where the project is planned. The company has close contact with the authorities and is awaiting developments in relation to approval and an environmental permit... Nor-wegian company's project is seen as a benchmark case... He [The Mayor of Calapan City, the capital of Oriental Mindoro, the Honourable Paulino Salvador C. Leachon,] also said that the current governor and vice governor are strongly against the project, and that they are not willing to listen to arguments supporting the project, nor from Intex... It must be mentioned that the embassy had made several attempts to interview the Governor of Mindoro Oriental. As is known, he and his colleague in the neighbouring region have clearly stated their opposition... We have not gained insight into all the proc-esses, nor do we have the expertise to assess the various environmentally related issues... Environmental consequences in general and watershed issues in particular are core issues. We would rather not take a stand on this, and it must be up to the authorities and to them alone to undertake an expert evaluation and then make the necessary decisions.”

The previous Norwegian ambassador in Manila, the Philippines, H.E.Torstein Ståle Risa, had on behalf of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Norway prepared a report on Crew Minerals ASA’s Mindoro nickel project. The ambassador indicated in his report that the nickel project is not supported by the locals on the island. Crew Minerals did not support the view of the ambassador.

Risa prepared his report after visiting Mindoro in October 2007. In Risa’s opinion, there was major resistance against the project among the locals on the island. Consequently, Risa concluded that Crew Minerals would have major challenges obtaining an ECC which is necessary for commercial mining in the Philippines.

Surely the time has come for the DENR. MGB and EMB to put to rest this embarrassment for the Government of the Philippines and make public their expert evaluation in order to arrive at a decision in the best interests of the impacted Mangyan peoples.

Fr. Archie Casey SX
Xaverian Missionary

Justice Peace and Integrity of
Creation Commission of the
Association of Major Religious
Superiors in the Philippines
(JPICC-AMRSP)