By
BusinessMirror - September 19, 2018
Detained
opposition Sen. Leila M. de Lima has expressed grave concern over the
suspicious construction of a P200 million ferro-nickel mining project in
Candelaria, Zambales, which would heavily be funded by Chinese investors.
De Lima, who chairs the
Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, said in a
news statement issued on Tuesday the government should carefully assess the
environmental, social and economic impact of yet another mining project with
China.
“The indiscriminate
mining operations in Zambales continue to wreak environmental havoc. Our
mountains are stripped of top soil and our river waters are turning all red due
to heavy mud,” she said.
“But what’s worse, the
government, particularly Mr. Duterte, is obviously willing to allow
unscrupulous Chinese contractors rape our environment at the detriment of our
natural resources, as well as the livelihood of our local residents,” she
added.
News reports showed
that Fujian Hengrun Investment Co., Ltd. of China and Filipino firms
Westchinamin Corp. and Easternreach Mining Group Inc. have agreed to put up
Ferro-Nickel Plant in Candelaria, Zambales.
The deal was reportedly
sealed recently despite strong opposition of the residents of Zambales calling
for an immediate halt to the indiscriminate mining operations in their province
which continue to destroy their communities and affect their health.
Although in detention,
de Lima was shown some actual photographs of how the river in Zambales had
alarmingly turned red due to the risky mining business.
In October 2017
residents of Candelaria and Santa Cruz, Zambales, pressed the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan to support the cancellation of permits of the four mining firms by
then-Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez because these companies
mined the watershed and rendered their fishing grounds and farm lands
unproductive.
The mining companies
cited include Benguet Nickel Mines Inc., Zambales Diversified Metals Corp., LNL
Archipelago Minerals Inc. and Eramen Minerals Inc.
The Alyansa Tigil Mina
(ATM) expressed dismay over a 2018 Court of Appeals decision rejecting the
appeal of local residents of Santa Cruz, Zambales, and Infanta, Pangasinan, for
the issuance of a Writ of Kalikasan with Permanent Environmental Protection
Order against all mining operations in the northern part of the province.
De Lima said there is a
need to scrutinize all government dealings with regards to mining operations,
especially the construction of a Ferro-Nickel Plant in Zambales, to be fully
aware of their effect to the residents and impact to the generations to come.
“The government has the
obligation to protect the environment and at the same time ensure the
well-being of the people. Abandoning the people by disregarding their safety
and needs is an outright dereliction of one’s duty,” she said.
The lawmaker from Bicol
assured local residents from Candelaria, Zambales, that she will “do anything
in my capacity—even from detention—to help stop destructive mining operations
in the province.”
According to one of the
local residents in Zambales, there should be concerted efforts from the
government leaders and residents to protect the environment and to enhance
their livelihood.
Based on records from
ATM, destructive nickel mining operations in Zambales have resulted in farmers’
and fisherfolk’s loss of an estimated P250 million worth of livelihood annually
in Santa Cruz, Zambales, alone.
In July de Lima
has filed Senate Resolution 778, which seeks a Senate inquiry into the apparent
gaps in the country’s environmental laws that compound the prevalence of
human-rights abuses in communities where there are large-scale mining.
She said the proposed
Senate investigation in aid of legislation should take an in-depth evaluation
of the continuing negative impact of mining operations on the environment and
human rights of local communities.
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