The Catholic Church and environmental groups have decried the approval of the ordinance in South Cotabato lifting the controversial ban on open pit mining methods in the province.
DAVAO CITY – The Catholic Church and environment groups have decried the approval of the ordinance in South Cotabato lifting the controversial ban on open pit mining method in the province.The move has sparked public outcry on social media following the adoption of the amendment by Sangguniang Panlalawigan without objections on May 16 to amend the 12-year old Environment Code, which had been considered a roadblock to develop the Tampakan gold and copper mining project.
“The amendment allows all forms of mining, including open-pit, in the province. And the future of the province was decided in less than 15 minutes,” he added. Last year, the diocese submitted at least 93,000 signatures before the provincial board in an effort to keep the ban on open pit mining. A video clip is now making rounds in social media showing de Pedro during a campaign sortie at a remote village of Topland in Koronadal City assuring the crowd that he will say “no to open-pit mining.” “Si board member de Pedro, isa lang nga tingog ang akon pamatian, kag ang tingog nga dal-on dira sa Sangunniang Panlalawigan, ang akon nga isinggitan, no to open pit mining kita! ” the board member told the crowd.
The amendment would benefit the Sagittarius Mines Inc. that holds the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement covering at least 23,000 hectares across the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Davao del Sur. But much of the mining tenement is in Tampakan, South Cotabato. “For years, the province of South Cotabato had served as a model for other local government units that conserve the environment as integral to development. It is tragic that today the provision banning open-pit mining in their landmark ordinance has been lifted,” said Maya Quirino, Advocacy Coordinator of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center.
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