Chinese involved in Bulacan gold panning operations?

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines – Authorities are set to investigate reported gold panning operations at the boundary of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija allegedly involving Chinese nationals.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said a task force composed of officials of the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be formed to look into the illegal activities.

Alvarado, in his weekly broadcast over Radyo Bulacan on Saturday, said he has received reports validated by pictures taken near the area where gold panning is being conducted.

He expressed concern about the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals in the gold panning operations, which he said could result in more damage to the environment.

Bro. Martin Francisco, who chairs the Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society, said except for the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals, everything about the gold panning operations is confirmed.

In a phone interview yesterday, Francisco said gold panning operations are being conducted in Maputi River and Bibit River in Sitio Macua within the mountain town of Donya Remedios Trinidad.

Francisco said both rivers are within the 63,000-hectare Angat watershed and drain into the Angat Dam, which supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water requirements.

He said gold panning operations in these areas date back to over 10 years but only involved Dumagat tribesmen living in settlements within the Angat watershed.

However, two years ago, Francisco said more people started arriving and joined the gold panning activities using water pumps.

Francisco said they have informed the National Power Corp. about the illegal operations but the state-run firm could not do anything as its Angat Watershed Area Team lacked manpower.

He said continuous gold panning upstream of the Angat River would likely cause faster siltation of the Angat Dam’s reservoir. –Dino Balabo (The Philippine Star)