NAGA CITY: CamNorte 2nd District Congressman Renato “Jojo” Unico urged
the Bicol Recovery, Economic and Development (BRED) Committee in Congress
chaired by CamSur 5th District Congressman Salvio Fortuno to act on the
persistent illegal mining activities in CamNorte province and the impact of
open pit mining in Rapu-Rapu, Albay.
Unico said that the despite the closure orders issued by the DENR-MGB
on illegal open-pit mining operations in CamNorte, the environmental
abuse by foreign mining firms given permits by the Provincial government has
continued unabated in the mining towns of Jose Panganiban, Labo and Paracale.
The Congressman also cited the rampant use of explosives in small-scale
mining that has claimed the lives of about 30 mine workers as he had earlier
exposed in a statement to Congress.
Unico urged that the committee to conduct an inquiry on the illegal
mining practices in the three mining towns of his province and pass immediate
measures to provide alternative livelihood for displaced miners and sue those
responsible for the environmental abuses in the province.
Albay Congressman Al Francis Bichara has supported Unico’s request to
the committee, which was favorably approved by “BRED” committee chairman
Congressman Fortuno.
Bichara was also proposing to probe the mining abuses in Rapu-Rapu,
Albay.
The “BRED” committee meets in Congress every month. – Vox Bicol
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