(philstar.com) | Updated February 2, 2017 - 2:12pm
MANILA, Philippines —
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday ordered
the closure of 21 mining firms after they were found to have severely destroyed
the environment of the local communities where they are operating.
Another five mining
companies were suspended also for various violations.
The mining audit of the
DENR found that mining companies operating in Zambales, Homonhon in Samar,
Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte should not have been allowed to mine
because these were in functional watersheds.
Zambales-based Benguet
Corp., Eramen Minerals, LNL Archipelago Mining and Zambales Diversified Metals
Corp. are to be closed because of siltation of rivers, illegal cutting of trees
and destruction of watershed, DENR Secretary Gina Lopez at a televised news
conference. Siltation is is a process of making waters polluted due to silt, or
mineral particles.
Lopez called the mining
situation in Zambales “social injustice.”
In Samar, another three
mining companies were suspended by Lopez who showed pictures of murky waters
and destroyed mountains as she explained the department’s order. These firms
are Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., Emir Minerals Corp. and
TechIron Mineral Resources Inc.
Lopez said that these
companies caused the siltation of coastal waters and destruction of watersheds
in their areas of operation.
In Dinagat Islands,
which has been a mineral reservation area since 1939, seven mining operations
are up for closure due to various environmental violations. These are: AAMPhil
Natural Resources Exploration, Kromico, Inc., SinoSteel Philippines H.Y. Mining
Corporation, Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation, Wellex Mining Corporation,
Libjo Mining Corporation and Oriental Vision Mining Philippines Corp.
Lopez said that despite
the presence of nine mining companies in Dinagat Islands, the province remains
poor, belying claims of mining companies that they helped develop communities
where they operated.
Lopez said that as much
as 82 percent of income derived from mining operations went to the companies
themselves.
The DENR chief also
blamed the government for not developing the eco-tourism potentials of Dinagat
Islands despite its beautiful environment.
Seven mining companies
are also up for closure in Surigao del Norte. These are ADNAMA Mining Resources
Corp., Claver Mineral Development Corp., Platinum Development Corp., CTP
Construction and Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Marcventures Mining and
Development Corp. and Hinatuan Mining Corporation.
Lopez also announced
that the operations of four companies were suspended due to violations. They
would be allowed to operate once these issues were addressed.
Suspended are Oceana
Gold Mining Operation in Nueva Vizcaya for causing reduced agriculture
production of farmers in the area, Citnickel Mines and Development Corporation
in Narra, Palawan for siltation of river and farm lands, Lepanto Mines and
Development Corporation for leakage of mine tailings into the river and Ore
Asia Mining and Development Corp for siltation of rivers.
Lopez said the DENR is
“fully aware” that many workers in the mines would be affected, but the welfare
of the people in these areas was more important.
She believes that stock
market and GDP are not good indicators of economic development. Instead, what’s
needed is area development, according to Lopez.
“We can get rid of
poverty” through area development, Lopez said.
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