Yes indeed! The Philippines is now abuzz with mining activities and that old and new multi national mining companies are now in full operations after the Philippine Supreme Court approved with finality the Philippines Mining Act. Although opposition to the said law was intense, arguments were given weight in favor of the mining companies who lobbied very hard in congress and in the government. The primary argument taken into consideration was that, billions of dollars will flow into the government’s coffer.
But again the people in power disregarded the ill effect of continues mining. Environmental destruction could be just another disaster waiting to happen. When I was a security guard in one of the biggest mining company in the Philippines back in 1993-1994, I cannot help but utter in disbelief that the company’s “Ball Mill,” is a monster machine in which it can gobbled up a mountain in just a week. Heavy equipments being used in leveling the mountains were in operation 24/7. Hundreds of Dump Trucks travel from the Open Pit Area going to the milling facility – the Ball Mill.
The Open Pit Mining that the company operates has been repeatedly condemned by the people living near the area. And after realizing that there are no more mountains to mined, the company closed down with lots of environmental destruction left in the mine site. But after years of relatively not in operation, the said company is back with vengeance, in another place of mining activity.
And because happy times are back, incessant diggings all over the Philippines – from up north down south – is in full speed. “Never mind the environment, dollars are what we need,” goes the dialog of the powers that be. You say “NO” and you will be killed. Community leaders are being killed overnight every time opposition to mining heightens. One of the last forested provinces in the south, home to the endangered species found only in the Philippines, is now in danger of losing its vast resources because a foreign mining company is now operating with the consent of government officials. Ah… what a debacle to the preservation of our environment.