The Dear Price of Promised Progress from the Mining Industry
Posted on Saturday, 18 February 2017
The
Dear Price of Promised Progress
From
the Mining Industry
In
the Philippines
By
Apolinario Villalobos
Once mined, a particular
parcel of land can never recover lost yields – minerals in various forms that
sustain life and top soil that enforce the earth’s crust. And, that is what is
happening to the archipelagic Philippines which is being eaten up by the
industry. Today, the tumultuous political atmosphere of the country is further
jittered by the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) to cancel the permit of many mining firms, a decision which is not to
the delight of some sectors, especially, those that have been directly and
financially affected due to their stakes. A big howl also comes from the
purported human rights advocates who use loss of job as their tool for protest,
as if only mining offers the opportunity to earn and nothing else.
The root cause of the
swarming of mining ventures in the country, mostly foreign-based, is the
Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which was authored by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
when she was yet, a senator. It allowed foreigners to have a 100% ownership of
land areas that they have claimed for mining. The blanket authority eventually
paved the way towards the virgin mountains and forests of the country for any
foreigner who was willing to invest in mining ventures. Rainforests were
cleared, hills and agricultural lands were excavated, and chemicals polluted
rivers, streams that flowed to the estuaries and coastal waters…and farmers
lost their farms. At the rate abuse of the country’s natural resources are
going, this law needs to be revoked.
During the presidential
incumbency of Benigno Aquino III, the issuance of mining permits multiplied
which enriched even local government officials. Although, some of the farmers
were employed by the mining firms, their pay was meager compared to the former
yields of their farm. The mushrooming of temporary mining communities resulted
to the proliferation of crimes and prostitutions that literally eroded the
values of the once sedate villagers and scandalized their once laid back way of
life. The polluted air and water brought about diseases that emaciated the once
healthy locals and the prices of basic commodities, especially, food, soared.
Practically, the industry that has been hoped to bring progress, instead,
devastated communities and their inhabitants.
Although, the financial
effect to the country’s economy by the move to stop the mining operation can be
recovered from other ventures, the recovery from its effects to the people and
community could definitely be felt for a long time, as it involves cleansing of
the polluted soil, the water beneath it and what flows on the surface. The
government would definitely be helpless, in fact, more helpless, as shown by
its inutile effort in tackling other problems that pester the country. This
unfortunate fact leaves Mother Nature to do some kind of a self-healing. The
eroded moral values and culture of the people may take generations to recoup.
On the other hand, those who have been physically suffering and wasting due to
the onset of diseases could just gasp for short breaths of the polluted air
while holding on to their dear life!
At the outset, even
without mentioning figures to show its devastation, the effects of the ABUSED
OPPORTUNITY in mining the natural resources of the Philippines are very
obvious. However, if the government decides to put a stop to it to give Mother
Nature some respite, it must have READY FALLBACK PROGRAMS, NOT JUST PLANS for
the displaced miners, considering that this problem has been plaguing the
country for decades. Farming and fishing in the same devastated areas is out of
the question because of the polluted land, rivers and coastal waters.
The most realistic move
is to relocate the affected people to ANY RURAL AREA of their own choice, an
option which means reasonable and realistic compensation. However, this problem
could be aggravated if the concerned mining firms would also ask for
compensation due to the cessation of their highly-financed operation….a
suggestion is to use the confiscated money from drug operations.
The mining industry in
the Philippines is proof that progress has a dear price. It glaringly shows
that any venture that has got to do with Nature’s exploitation can be
devastating…even with promises of proper management, as there is an innate
tendency of man to deviate from the proper course due to greed!
Discussion