Workers oppose mine closure

STA. CRUZ, Zambales—Thousands of mine workers staged a protest caravan here during the weekend to press their demand to re-open four mining companies ordered closed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), organizers said on Sunday.

Orlan Mayor, spokesman of the Coalition of Mine Workers, Families and Community (SMWFC), said the mine workers and their families were angry because they lost their jobs and source of income.

“What will happen to all of our families now that we don’t have jobs. Will the DENR give us food and send our children to school,” Mayor quoted one of the workers as saying.

DENR closed down the operation of the mining companies—Eramen Minerals, Benguet Nickel Mines, LNL Archipelago Minerals and Zambales Diversified Metals Corp — for allegedly causing damage to the environment. Farmers complain of damage on their farms and siltation of the river.

But the farmers denied that thousands of hectares of farmlands were affected. They claimed the alleged fishponds affected were operating without permit and were illegal.

Mayor said the DENR closed down the mines without consultation without considering its impact on local residents and 3,000 workers, who depend on the mines for their livelihood.

“The protest caravan is just the beginning of the protests that we will undertake until the DENR lifted the suspension order and the workers regain their jobs,” Mayor said. –Cecille Garcia, Manila Standard Today