Malacañang blocks out mining critics, claims EO reactions ‘positive’

A day after releasing the much-anticipated Executive Order defining President Aquino’s policy on the mining industry, top Palace officials issued claims of getting positive reception from the stakeholders of mining sector on EO 79 while effectively blocking vigorous protests against it.

In a statement the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO), the administration shrugged off allegations accusing President Aquino of deceiving the Filipinos by presenting a rehashed copy of the 1995 Mining Act.

In a statement issued simultaneous with an ongoing protest action in Mendiola by militant activists, environmental advocacy groups and party-list organizations, PCDSPO Secretary Ramon Carandang described reactions to Aquino’s EO 79 as “so far been encouraging.”

Carandang, however, missed the fact that after details of the EO were released, mining stocks plunged to record lows.

He said those opposing the mining policy represents a small fraction of the industry, even as he branded them as “just a few hard line elements.”

“The positive reception to the mining EO by various stakeholders — environmentalists, the mining industry and local governments — has so far been encouraging. With the exception of a few hard line elements, the administration’s reforms in the mining sector have been accepted as a clear direction for mining in the country”, Carandang said.

Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano criticized what he called as duplicity in EO 79 which spelled out Aquino’s mining policy and that supposedly expands mining ban in prime agricultural lands, ecotourism areas and other critical areas but continue to tolerate operation of mining companies resulting to massive degradation of the environment and people’s livelihood.

“EO 79 is a double edged, all-powerful order from the executive branch that safeguards the interests of large-scale local and foreign mining corporations and puts our natural resources and livelihood of farmers, fisher folks and indigenous peoples in peril,” Mariano said.

“Seemingly, through EO 79, the government will not approve pending mining applications, but it will not terminate existing mining contracts, agreements and concessions with mining companies in prime agricultural lands and coastal areas,” the solon said.

Carandang also said that the new EO should not be viewed as purely aimed at raising revenues even as he cited significant provisions seen as putting an end to illegal mining practice that has compromised the ecological integrity of the region where mineral extraction are unabated, unregulated, un-sanctioned and in many instances under the auspices of local officials using the government as badge in the illegal mining activity.

Among the salient features cited by Carandang as a manifestation of the administration’s sensitivity on the need to restore and preserve zones categorized as agricultural, fisheries, eco-tourism and protected areas, EO 79 also stipulates radical measures seen affecting 78 mining zones identified in the EO as areas where restrictions are seen ending illegal mining practice and running after operators of mine sites outside a designated area referred to as Minahang Bayan.

Also, the PCDSPO chief said that the President’s mining EO would also transform small scale mining operations into cooperatives working only on an area within the designated Minahang Bayan, adding that getting them into one place would allow the government to contain mine waste.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje on Monday hinted on stricter guidelines which have been put in place for strict imposition by the multi-sectoral body known as the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC). Interestingly, the implementing agency that Paje has been bragging about has yet been formed.

Carandang, however admitted that the new mining EO could not possibly address all the problems hounding an industry seen to have largely contributed to government revenues while depicting the EO as a good start.

“More work needs to be done by local government units, the national government, Congress, the civil society and the industry itself. But with this new directive from President Aquino, the path has been cleared for environmentally responsible and economically equitable mining activities in the country,” he said.

Outside Malacanang, members of various organizations earlier described by Carandang as “a few hard liners”, marched to Mendiola to protest what they consider as a rehashed version of the 1995 Mining Act.

An environmental party-list group said that President Aquino’s EO 79, that saw mining stocks plunge to record low, as nothing but a presidential directive embarking only on ways to raise funds by imposing higher royalties, alteration on the excise tax computation system, adjustment of collected fees and government proceeds from selling mine tailings (waste).

Kalikasan Party-list, an environment-oriented political group also assailed the administration for trying to deceive the country with what they described as nothing more than a political module.

Kalikasan party-list vowed to pursue other avenues such as challenging the EO and the Mining Act of 1995 at the Supreme Court and expressed its support for the move of Catholic bishops calling for a moratorium on the implementation of the new mining executive order (EO) released by Malacanang.

“Continuous large-scale mining will cause massive destruction of the environment. It will also result to the pollution and poisoning of rivers and contamination of water systems to the detriment and displacement of fishing and farming communities,” Mariano said.

Mariano’s Anakpawis party-list group is strongly campaigning against magnetite and open pit mining that has severely damaged the livelihood of farmers and fisher folks. f Mariano filed Resolutions in the Lower House to probe the effects of magnetite mining on farmers and fisher folks in Eastern Visayas and Ilocos regions and the widespread open pit mining in Batangas.

In the entire Eastern Visayas region, mining applications cover 507,747 hectares or 24 percent of its entire land area. Magnetite mining operations are being conducted in 149,535 hectares or 7 percent of the total land area.

In Ilocos region where 80 percent of magnetite mining is operated by Canadian company, Colossal Mining, residents and small fisher folks along the coastlines of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan are threatened with loss of livelihood due to the ill-effects of magnetite mining on the ecosystem and water shores. The government granted exploration and mining permits to Colossal Mining covering at least 15,700 hectares of offshore areas in North Western Luzon.

Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay also chastised President Aquino on EO 79 saying that while ordering the moratorium on new mining agreements looks good on paper, the true challenge will be in its implementation.

“EO 79 basically seeks to increase government revenue from mining as well as protect agricultural lands and ecotourism areas from irresponsible mining operations. This also includes a review on existing mining agreements entered into by the government, large scale and small scale,” said Magsaysay.

“There is really no problem with the EO, and the bigger issue would be in its implementation. The government must be firm in its crackdown on illegal mining operations, and set standards especially for small scale mining which has caused countless accidents in the past couple of years because of unsafe practices,” the lady solon added. — Jason Faustino, Fernan J. Angeles and Charlie V. Manalo, Daily Tribune