The conveyor facility at Johson Gold Mining campsite in
Baranggay Bagong-bayan, Jose Panganiban … JGMC’s operations in the municipality
attest to the presence of substantial gold reserves in the area aside from
those discovered within its mining claims within the municipality. – MWBuzzpic
by AP HERNANDEZ
By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
SECTION 5 of President Aquino’s Executive Order No 79
mandates the creation of mineral reservation areas across the country.
To wit: “Potential and future mining areas with known
strategic mineral reserves and resources shall be declared as Mineral Reservations
for the development of strategic industries identified in the Philippine
Development Plan and a Nationalization Plan.”
This would be done “…after proper consultation with all
concerned stakeholders such as, but not limited to, residents of affected
communities, LGUs, the business sector and non-government and civil society
organizations”.
This is one piece of good news that the municipality of Jose
Panganiban, in CamNorte, should welcome with open arms.
There is a big chance that our town called Mambulao, which
means, “gold-rich” would eventually be declared a “mineral reservation” area
because of its known strategic mineral reserves and resources.
The national government should not think twice in doing
this.
After all, the municipality of Jose Panganiban has been
known to be a gold district from the time the first Spaniards came to our
village during the 1600s where they found gold, gold and more gold.
With our “mabulawan” (gold-rich) legend spreading far and
wide, many people came to settle here as well as in Paracale to partake in the
vast wealth for their taking. Mambulao, actually was a former district of
Paracale with reference to its gold prospects. But when gold hunters began
populating Mambulao which was then delivering more gold, the Spanish
authorities based in Bicol designated Mambulao as a district of its own,
distinct from that of Paracale’s.
Over last 400 years, many people came to settle in Mambulao
– they came from the provinces of Quezon (then known as Tayabas), Bicol,
Visayas and many other places that our town has become a so-called “melting
pot” where gold-seekers-wealth-seekers converged and eventually raised families
with native women.
The gold deposits that mining operations at San Mauricio on
the mountains of Baranggay Bagong-Bayan continue to extract have never been
exhausted.
And because of this, a new operator – the Johson Gold Mining
Corporation – has established its camp right on the spot to develop this
seemingly vast reserve and to chase the rest of the gold veins in at least four
wide mining claims in the nearby golden mountain.
Says Mayor Ricarte Padilla about Mambulao’s mineral wealth:
“Our municipality was once the host of the Philippine Iron Mines (PIM), used to
be known as the largest iron ore producer in the country.
“Our iron ore deposits are measured in millions of metric
tons and we are considering on capitalizing on this fact by soon establishing
an integrated steel manufacturing plant at our special economic zone at
Baranggay Larap.
Padilla said that the municipality had been the host of the
now-defunct Benguet Gold Mining Company, which made a fortune from the yellow
metal.
Likewise, “we continue to host various large and small-scale
gold mining entities, a manifestation of the richness of our gold deposits,”
says Padilla.
If Mambulao is declared a “Mineral Reservation” area based
on its track record in gold and iron ore production, the municipality would
benefit from its mineral resources through the royalty scheme.
The iron deposits in Larap have been scientifically proven
to be in million metric tons and are of commercial value using the latest
extraction technology.
Already, one investor known as Investwell has cornered the
mining claims around Larap and is bent on cashing in on the ore deposits.
Padilla said if the LGU is given the authority to manage its
own iron and gold deposits, it could lead to the creation of an integrated
steel industry situated at the 30-hectare economic zone at Baranggay Larap.
The mayor pitched the idea in a recent letter to Executive
Secretary Paquito N Ochoa Jr, informing him that Jose Panganiban hosts huge
deposits of gold and iron.
The said letter was sent to the secretary last March when
his office was height of drafting of a new Executive Order, which later came to
be known, as signed, as EO79. It was signed early this month.
Padilla told Ochoa that “we are solidly for the
establishment of a mineral reservation as we foresee added local revenues
through our share of royalties”.
“We just hope that our municipality is included in the
creation of a mineral reservation, and be invited in the consultation on the
determination of the rate of royalties.”
As one of the mineral-host municipalities jilted by EO79 by
depriving them the rights to regulate gold mining operations in its very own
jurisdiction, Mambulao could still look forward to a better deal from the
national government by being designated as a “Mineral Reservation”.
Maybe, just maybe, the financial reward from gaining such a
status could compensate for the loss of its rights to regulate small-scale
mining operations in its own backyard and face the horror of decaying
environment as a result of bad mining practices.
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