Balancing act

More than 3,000 residents, including miners, scholars and community leaders, staged last Aug.18 simultaneous protest actions against what they called unreasonable closure of four mining sites that led to hundreds of job losses in two towns in Zambales.

On July 15, 2014, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office for Central Luzon director Danilo Uykieng issued suspension orders on the mining operations of Benguet Corp. Nickel Mine Inc., Eramen Minerals Inc., LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. and Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. in Sta. Cruz and Candelaria, Zambales due to alleged unsystematic mining.

The MGB regional office issued the orders, following massive propaganda spread by anti-mining advocates who claimed that the mining operations of these four companies had led to nickel siltation of river systems, farmlands, fishponds and seashores in the two towns. The four mining companies denied the allegations.

The suspension orders caused a tension among mining companies not only in Zambales province but also in the whole country, for fear that other MGB regional offices would replicate the decision in their respective jurisdictions and virtually end mining in the country, upon the prodding of well-financed anti-mining groups who are out to declare mining companies as evil enterprises.

Mining supports nearly all industries, from construction and real estate to electronics and information technology. All basic human needs, from food and water, to clothing, to shelter are supported by mining operations.

Unfortunately, MGB listened more to the propaganda of techie anti-mining advocates who are equipped with the latest gadgets containing chips sourced from mines around the world, and prohibited the four Zambales-based mining companies from extracting nickel, effectively stopping the operations of the companies and depriving at least 3,000 workers of their income.

The huge number of workers who were rendered unemployed by the MGB orders had a substantial economic impact on Sta. Cruz and Candelaria towns that even municipal and provincial officials now join the chorus calling for the reopening of the mine sites.

MGB, the government agency primarily in charge of promoting and developing mining, ironically was the one that crippled it in Zambales, for whatever political or ideological reasons it was fed by anti-mining groups.

For the sheer magnitude of the problem created by MGB in this part of Zambales, it’s about time that Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje look into this matter with haste.

We are confident that Secretary Paje would have a better idea on how to provide a solution to the quagmire in Zambales but he has to decide soon, as thousands of families in Sta. Cruz and Candelaria are soon going to be hungry.

With the unemployment level remaining a crucial issue that President Aquino has yet to address, the closure of Zambales mines and its boomerang effect on the mining industry nationwide will definitely push up the number of jobless individuals in the coming months.

Thousands of jobs, scholarships granted to students and other social development programs outlined by the four companies are in danger of being pulled out if the MGB and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR would not lift the suspension orders soon.

The protests by hungry Zambales residents, who were stripped of their livelihood is something that the government must address with urgency.

The Coalition of Mine Workers, Families and Community (CMWFC), representing the affected families, said about 3,000 workers now have nowhere to go because of the DENR suspension and cease-and-desist orders, adding that government should not simply sit and watch while we lose our jobs and our families starve.

The government must be able to find a win-win situation to the problem of having to balance the concerns of the environment and environmentalists, and sustaining the livelihood of millions of people who depend directly and indirectly on the mining sector.

The perfect mix

One perfect example of having achieved balance between the demands of progress and the needs of the local communities can be found in a small barangay called Tan-awan, which is 10 km away from the center town of Oslob in Cebu.

Local fisherfolk used to drive away, if not kill, whalesharks because these are believed to be scaring away the potential catch.

In the meantime, tourists have started to flock in for the occasional appearance of these gentle giants.

The local community began to realize that tourism can help augment the livelihood of the townsfolk, if not create a new way of life for this small town. And when they stopped driving away the whalesharks, these gentle animals, which despite having very large mouths feed mainly on planktons and alamang which the boatmen give them, stayed and would return to an area just a few meters from the shore from 6 a.m. until around 12:30 p.m.

This means that seeing whalesharks has become 100 percent guaranteed, unlike before in Oslob, as well as in other parts of the country where sightings are seasonal.

“The sightings of whales in Oslob is way different than in Donsol, Sorsogon. Unlike in Donsol, local fishermen have been retrained as guides and spotters and will find you whale sharks. The moment whale sharks are spotted, you must be ready yourself with mask, snorkel and fins then the boat will reposition itself so you have time to jump in the water before the shark reaches you. In Oslob, it was entirely different. These whale shark sightings in Oslob have been around for quite awhile. I was told these gentle giants used to be their problem which causes trouble and damage to their livelihood. There’s about 6-8 of them in their area and watching them swimming around is incredible. It feels ultimately surreal to witness the bond between these gentle creatures and the fishermen which was too obvious with the way they build connections with each other. It was an unforgettable experience and I’m thrilled to have done it this year.” (juanderfulpinoy.com)

Whale shark watching in Cebu started only last September 2011 and it became popular all over the world when the news hit in the Internet last November 2011.

The people of Tan-awan in Oslob have become very strict to ensure that the whalesharks will be unharmed. All whale shark watchers must undergo orientation at the Briefing Center on the rules for interaction with whale sharks. There should be no touching of the whalesharks and those who want to swim alongside them should maintain a certain distance (maintain a minimum distance of 5m from the head, 6m from the tail (this differs from the 2m from the head, and 5m from the tail as stated in the ordinance). Tourists have to take turns going into the water or the boats and they are allowed to stay only for a maximum of 30 minutes in the water or the boat. One who intends to get into the water cannot apply sunscreen.

How to get to Oslob? One can go to the South Bus Terminal located along N. Bacalso St. in Cebu City and take a Ceres or Sunrays Bus via Oslob for the four-hour trip. Bus fare will is P149 for regular buses and P154 for airconditioned ones.

It is better however to fly to Dumaguete and then take a boat to get to Oslob. In my case, I stayed at the beautiful Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort located on the southeastern tip of Cebu.

The island remains as one of Cebu’s best kept secrets. It is 125 kilometers from Cebu City and is in close proximity to Dumaguete. The island has an area of 24 hectares and is surrounded by crystal clear waters with varying aquamarine hues. It is the first marine protected area in the Philippines and was made a fish sanctuary in 1974 under the guidance of Siliman University Marine Reserve. During dives, one will find varied marine species and even occasional sightings of black tip sharks. Pristine white sand beaches are situated in different areas in Sumilon. The Sumilon sandbar is highly noted for its changing and shifting patterns depending on the time of year.

Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort is a perfect jump-off point to this part of Cebu’s attractions, namely the whalesharks of Oslob and the raw beauty of Tumalog Falls. But of course, there are a lot of activities at the resort itself that one should not miss. –Mary Ann Ll. Reyes (The Philippine Star)