Occidental Mindoro bans large-scale mining, too
Habitat loss drives Mindoro's Tamaraw towards extinction
SABLAYAN, Occidental Mindoro—An ordinance banning large-scale mineral exploitation for 25 years has come into force in Occidental Mindoro, making the entire Mindoro island off limits to mining activities.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Occidental Mindoro passed the ordinance on November 23, and Governor Josephine Ramirez-Sato signed it into law four days later.
A similar mining prohibition has been in effect in Oriental Mindoro since 2002.
The passage of the ordinance comes as at least three large mining firms have been given clearance by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to explore mineral resources on the island.
The newly-enacted provincial law, a copy of which was furnished The Mindoro Post, specifically bans “land clearing, prospecting, exploration, drilling, excavation, mining, transport of mineral ores and products and such other activities in furtherance of and/or preparatory to all kinds and forms of large-scale mining in the province of Occidental Mindoro for a period of 25 years.”
It cited as basis provisions in the Local Government Code of 1991 mandating every local government in the Philippines to “ensure the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.”
The ordinance underscored the need to protect Occidental Mindoro’s ecology, noting the poor environmental record of large-scale mines in the Philippines.
“(T)here is no guarantee, on the basis of historical events on mining operations in the country, that the vast natural resources, the beauty and grandeur of this province environment, the multi-awarded clean and breathtaking natural flow of our rivers and lakes, the virginity of our forests serving as watersheds that assure adequate supply of water for our irrigation, the preservation of our natural parks as haven for our rare Tamaraw and Mangyans now at the brink of extinction, the shorelines, the corals and faunas serving as sanctuary for our fishes, all these gifts of the heaven shall not be destroyed,” the local law read.
The ordinance was aptly adopted by the provincial legislative council during its session in Sablayan town, where about 9,000 hectares of land will be dug for nickel by the Norway-based Intex Resources.
Pandan Island, in Occidental Mindoro
The DENR also allowed Pitkin Ltd to conduct oil exploration in portions of the towns of Sablayan, Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose and Magsaysay in Occidental Mindoro and in Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro.
Agusan Petroleum meanwhile has exploration permit in Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro and in the resort town of Puerto Galera and nearby San Teodoro in Oriental Mindoro.
On November 27, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza ordered a temporary revocation of the mining clearance issued for the Mindoro nickel project of Intex Resources following an 11-day hunger strike staged by Mangyans, community leaders and religious people from Mindoro.
nananawagan ako sa lahat ng mga tulad kong ipinanganak sa isla ng mindoro na ipagpatuloy po natin na huwag papayagang minahin ang ating natural resources na ang kapalit ay hindi para sa ikakabuti ng mga taong bayan ng mindoro kundi ang mga taong nasa pwesto tulad ni atienza…..bagamat ang yaman ng ating province ay para sa ating mga kababayang taga mindoro mapunta at hindi sa kung sino sinong papasok na lang at bungkalin ang ating yaman at dalhin sa ibang bansa, di pwedi yun,,,,,
mulat ang aming mga mata kahit narito kami sa ibang bansa ay mahal namin ang aming lupang tinubuan at dahil kami ay naririto sa ibang bansa hindi ibig sabihin ay nakalimutan na namin ang mindoro, narito pa rin kaming lahat upang ipagtanggol sa mga piratang puti na kasabwat ng mga mamumulitika sa malakanyang upang punuin ang kanilang bulsa sa walang tigil na pangungurakot.
KAYA MGA KABABAYAN, ISIPING MABUTI KUNG SINO ANG ATING IBOBOTO SA SUSUOND NA HALALAN (HANGALAN), IYONG MAKATAO, MARUNONG DUMINIG NG BOSES NG MGA MAMAMAYAN, HINDI IYONG NARIRINIG LANG TAYO KUNG ELEKSYON, We want a change, a total change that will let the people of mindoro and the phils. as a whole to be free in scrutinizing every department of our govt.(TRANSPARENCY).
WE NEED TO VOTE SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN IRON HANDS WHO CAN WRESTLE GRAFT AND CORRUPTION, WHO CAN implement the law no matter who you are, there should be NO ONE ABOVE THE LAW AND NO EXCEPTION EITHER YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT OR MEMBER OF THE FIRST FAMILY AND ETC…
SO MGA KABABAYAN, GISING GISING GISING GISING, TAYO AY SUMALI SA HALALANNG MALINIS HINDI SA HANGALAN……..PAGPALAIN NAWA TAYO NG MAHAL NA PANGINOON……
Panahon na magkabalikat ang buong Oriental at Occidental Mindoro sa pagtatanggol sa “life, liberty and happiness ” ng Mindorenos na guaranteed by our Philippine Constitution laban sa mga dayuhan at local na nagmimina para lamang masunod at magpabuya sa kanilang “profit” motive.
Ang mining justification ay “progress” daw at sila raw ay mandated ni Presidente Arroyo ayon sa kanilang tagilid na interpretasyon ng 1995 Mining law.
Ang Mindorenos naman ay may guaranteed rights from our constitution, may proteksyon tayo kung tama ang implementasyon ng 1995 Mining Act at tayo ay may karapatan din base sa 1991 Local Government Code na nagsasabing tayo ang magpapasiya kung ano ang makabubuti sa ating lahat na mamamayan ng Mindoro.
Ngunit dahil sa power play ng mining companies na may pera at ng mga government officials na sumanig sa mga kumpanya, tayong mga Mindoreno ay pipiliting maipit, yurakan at apihin.
Ang mining ay dirty industry na maraming masamang side effects anuman ang benefits na idinudulot nila. Kalimitan sa ating naranasan ay flooding , pollution, biodiversity destruction,fish kills na ating daranasin kahit matagal nang nakatipas ang mga minero na dala ang kanilang “profits”. At sila ay hindi nagbabayad ng damages.
Ipagtanggol natin ang Mindorong pinagpala!