SORSOGON CITY: Mining companies
have found an ally in Sen Francis Escudero as he made a stand favoring the
continued operation of responsible mining corporations.
In a round-table discussion with
local media here Escudero said that imposing a mining ban is wrong and
unreasonable especially if it gives benefits to the community and does not harm
the environment.
“If it’s legal, safe to
environment and brings benefits to the community, why should we stop them,” he
said, adding that only those classified as small-scale mining operations are
the ones causing troubles especially to the environment and the community.
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| Chiz Escudero ... a friend of good miners |
Escudero, however, said that the
government should do something to put the mining industry in proper order and
to maximize the benefits that could be derived from it.
He suggested the imposition of a
levy similar to the coconut levy to make it expensive to export the raw
materials generated from mining which would compel mining companies to process
and manufacture them here.
“That would generate more jobs and
put additional value to the raw materials,” Escudero, who chairs the Senate
committee on Environment, said.
The solon stressed that current
sharing of 2% for government and 98% for the mining company is grossly lopsided
saying that China had offered a 60-40 sharing scheme in favor of the government
for the exploration of resources at the Scarborough Shoal during the time of
former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but which was rejected.
He also suggested that the
government should come up with mineral map of the country and determine the
areas which are open to mining and set aside areas for future generation.
“We should leave something for the
generations to come and not allow indiscriminate mining,” Escudero added.
He urged Malacañang to speed up the
issuance of the mining policy to harmonize everything, adding that the delay
has caused the non-issuance of any mining license for the past two years.
Asked to comment about the possible
extension of the mining operation in Rapu-Rapu, Albay, the senator said the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources should look into its operation.
Escudero said large scale mining is
less problematic since they are effectively regulated by the DENR unlike small
scale operations.
He said the DENR would not allow its
continued operation if it has violations and is not beneficial to the
community.
The Rapu-Rapu mine is projected to
last until end of 2013, unless the actual mineral deposits exceed more than
what was earlier estimated during the exploration, the president of the
Rapu-Rapu Minerals Incorporated (RRMI) told reporters in an earlier interview.
Eng’r. Rogelio Corpuz said that the
company would continue operation as long as the deposits are there and funds
are available to sustain commercial operation.
The operation is highly dependent on
the presence of the minerals as well as on prices of these minerals in the
international market, he said, as he expressed concern for the communities
which would be affected by the mine closure.
“Obviously, a big majority of the
families in the community have become dependent on the mine for their source of
livelihood, and we don’t want them to be economically displaced once the mine
operation closes down, so sustainable livelihood programs must be introduced
through the Social Development and Management Plan,” he explained.
‘‘If only we can continue operation
endlessly so that the people would continue to have a steady source of income,
we will do it,’’ he said.
Corpuz assured the stakeholders that
the company has the best interest of the community in mind in all of its
programs. - By Media Solutions/BicolMail
I agree with Sen Escudero. Responsible mining and the environment can co-exist.
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