PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Declaration on Mining
7th February 2012 - by Fr Frank Nally
“Defending the Dignity of Life, Securing our Future” was the title of a workshop held in Mindanao, the Philippines, in January 2012 focusing on the impact of large-scale mining. It called for a mining moratorium in the light of negative impacts on local communities and the environment.
A two-day International Conference on Mining in Mindanao, Philippines, ended on 27 January 2012 with a call to repeal the Mining Act of 1995 and enact a pro-Filipino, pro-environment alternative mining law and to finally declare a mining moratorium. It followed campaigning by groups such as our own London-based Working Group on Mining in the Philippines (WGMP-UK) to challenge large-scale destructive mining. Columbans have been active in this group, in addition to supporting victims of mining in Mindanao and in other Philippine islands.
The “Mindanao Declaration: Defending the Dignity of Life, Securing our Future” called for the “promotion of sustainable, responsible and equitable management and utilization of our natural resources, toward the conservation and protection of the environment and rehabilitation of mined areas”. Robert Goodland and Clive Wicks of the WGMP were among the speakers. The two-page “Mindanao Declaration” noted that the current state of the mining industry is “driven by corporate greed and the existing policy framework” promoted by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and inherited by President Benigno Simeon Aquino.
Among the issues is harsh effects of mining on water systems, biodiversity, air, land and island ecosystems which “lead to environmental destruction and disasters aggravating the impacts of hydro-meteorological hazards and threatening agriculture and food security;” and points out that mining firms, in collaboration with some government agencies, have been “grossly violating the human rights of communities and advocates through threats, extra-judicial killings, Investment Defense Force (IDF), mining militias, fabricating ‘free, prior and informed consents,’ dividing and exploiting indigenous peoples communities and perpetuating other acts degrading human dignity.”
It notes that small-scale miners especially “have been blamed for various environmental disasters in favor of large mining companies,” while the country’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and other agencies “failed to fulfil its mandate to provide technical and, when displaced, extend immediate sustainable economic assistance.” The Declaration also noted the increasing number of local government units that are “standing up to oppose mining in their respective jurisdictions” while their constitutional obligations and rights are barely recognized by the national government and mining companies. It invoked the peoples “constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology in the spirit of precautionary principle and inter-generational responsibility.”
Given the country’s vulnerability to natural calamities, Goodland and Wicks said the Philippines is ‘no place’ for large-scale mining practice. They said there can be no such thing as responsible mining in the Philippines, more so amid the high risks caused by seismic activity. “Wherever you’ve got steep mountain slopes, high rainfall, the risk of cyclones, that is not the place to put mining projects,” Goodland explained.
“If you add up all the negatives, Dr Goodland has said, plus seismic activity, then you create a massively dangerous situation,” added Wicks. They noted that an area’s vulnerability to natural disasters is likely to worsen with the presence of mines and the effects of climate change.
They cited the case of the Tampakan mine in South Cotabato, which they consider as one of the world’s most dangerous proposed mining projects, given its proximity to an active volcano and geological faultlines. “The Mount Matutum volcano, a registered active volcano is within 10 kilometers of where they want to put the mine, and you cannot mine within 10 kilometers of an active volcano.”I The mining project is within the Mt Matutum range of mountains just north of of the Volcano. Wicks says, “It’s ridiculous, irresponsible, and they want to store 2.7 billion tons of toxic waste rock with high potential for acid drainage on top of the mountain!” “They’re going to create a crater 800 meters deep in an area where there are dormant volcanoes and geological fault lines. That’s going to fill up with toxic water too. It’s very dangerous. They’re going to build two dams, one 2.1 kilometres long and 280 metres high. That’s going to have millions of tons of waste and toxic water behind it.” The dam is set to be built in the water catchment area just above an irrigation dam which provides water for the whole of Davao Del Sur. The whole of Koronadal Valley in South Cotabato and other provinces, Sultan Kudarat and Saranggani, will feel the impacts too”.
Goodland and Wicks said large-scale mining, not always small-scale operations, are to blame for the environmental destruction. They noted that the mining debate has also taken added urgency, amid the spate of deaths involving environmental and human rights activists. Wicks said 11 people working with our networks have been killed in the last four years. Fr. Fausto Tentorio PIME was killed by a gunman in Mindanao last October 2011. Wicks said that it was generally believed that Fr. Tentorio was murdered because he protested against the mining activities. Wicks pointed out that security in mines cannot stand the perennial test of security risks from militant groups either. He said the World Bank recommended that no mining be carried out in conflict zones. Speaking of mining in the Philippines in general and in Tampakan in particular, Wicks noted that “Not only is this going to destroy the environment, it’s going to create massive poverty… and more violence.”
Given the clear and present danger mining activities pose to agriculture, fisheries and communities, Goodland and Wicks said the Philippines must choose between mining and agriculture. They co-authored the book “Philippines: Mining or Food? which was produced by the WGMP a Columban inspired and support outcome of field studies and community visits.
Goodland, who is a former senior environmental adviser to the World Bank Group in Washington DC, added that investments in agriculture, such as aid donations from the World Bank would be wasted, if mining now disrupts farming eco-systems. “There should be a balance between the two, but at the moment we’re nowhere near getting a balance. The Philippines used to export rice. A couple of years ago when the price of rice spiked and the Philippines became the biggest importer of rice in the whole world. That is not sustainable! Admiring Philippine rice farmers whom Goodland says are among the best in the whole world, he concludes with a challenge to the policy makers and the government. You can either have mining or food. Which does the Philippines want? To help them choose he asks, “Which is more sustainable? 15 years of mining with environmental risks in perpetuity or rice production and food security for a better future for all?”
