CamSur gov supports responsible mining

PILI, CamSur: Gov LRay Villafuerte takes a firm stand for responsible mining but this does not necessarily mean that he is against the controversial draft executive order on the national government’s policy on mining.

Villafuerte ... favors responsible mining

As the vice-president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, Gov Villafuerte said that this position for responsible mining is shared by majority of the governors but their only concern on the draft executive order were, there should be proper consultation with local government units particularly on the regulatory powers of LGUs over mining operations, equitable sharing of revenues and the assurance of the environment viability of mining operations.


Gov Villafuerte said he only wants assurance that the environment would be protected by the mining operations.


Environment preservation is a component of Villafuerte’s comprehensive provincial development agenda among them is his El Verde Movement projected to plant no less than 12 million trees in CamSur by the end of this year.


Already, through the determined efforts of the governor, CamSur holds two world records in the Guinness Book of World Records. 


The recent one was achieved  by planting 1,009,029 mangroves in one hour along the coast of Ragay Gulf and the first world record was for planting 64,096 trees in only 15 minutes which eclipsed India’s record of 50,033 trees planted in one hour.


Hence, mining operations should be guided and regulated so that the efforts of the LGUs to preserve the environment will be safeguarded.


 “The local government units would have a say in regulating them and local government units should have a fair share of the revenues that are generated by the government on such operations and the population would derive substantial benefits,” Villafuerte further explained.


Environment Secretary Ramon Paje came up with a proposal to adopt modern technology to monitor mining operations by setting up sensors to detect levels of mercury and cyanide utilized by mining operators.


Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda   said that the Executive Order has not been released yet, that it is still under review and being fine tuned so he urged oppositionists to put on hold their concerns until the final copy comes out.  – Bicol Mail