An ongoing fact-finding mission by environmentalists hopes to uncover and verify community reports of marine pollution and degradation caused by a controversial mining company operating in one of the Philippine’s richest marine habitats and diving sites.

The International Solidarity Mission (ISM) hopes to uncover anew fresh reports on the ground related to the resumption of mining operations by a Korean-owned firm in Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay, Philippines from May 10-13, 2009. It is organized by the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) and the Center for Environmental Concerns Philippines (CEC Phils) along with international and local delegates from the church, health professionals, scientists, youth and members of the media.

The Rapu-Rapu mine is one of the 63 priority large-scale mining projects of the Philippine government and the pet project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It opened in 2005 and incurred two massive mine tailings spills five months after starting operations in this typhoon-stricken and small island. Previously owned by Australian junior firm Lafayette Mining Limited, the project’s ownership was transferred to a consortium between Korea Resources Corporation, LG International, and Malaysia Smelting Operations in early 2008 after Lafayette declared bankruptcy. Community residents continue to oppose the project, which resumed operations anew last year.

“These new developments in the anti-mining struggle in Rapu-Rapu are the primary focus of the ISM. New information coming from the communities related to the environmental impacts of continued large-scale mining need to be verified. Also, documenting social issues that confront the residents of the island, including possible violation of human rights need to be looked into, said ISM organizer and National Coordinator of Kalikasan PNE Clemente Bautista.

“The case of Rapu-Rapu is one of the most popular and dynamic of the mining struggles in the Philippines. The relentless campaign of the local organizations and residents with their supporters from local, national and international organizations has lead to a bittersweet victory when the previous major shareholder of the project Lafayette Philippines, Inc. (LPI) with its wholly foreign-owned joint venture company Lafayette Mining Limited (Australia) caved-in to the protests of the people and declared bankruptcy in December 2008.

However, this victory is bound to be trivial with the entry of the new plunderers,” said Bautista.

“Lafayette ran off with millions of profits without paying for its crimes against the local community and the Filipino people. As adding insult to injury, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), backed up by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sold the project to Korean investors. The new Korean owners, which were immediately allowed to resume operations, are feared to continue the destructive and pollutive operation of open-pit mining in the island, said Bautista.

Proof of toxic marine pollution covered up?

Among the environmental problems that the ISM is probing are community reports of possible dumping of mine waste into the waters fronting the island.

According to Ka Tony Casitas, spokesperson of Sagip Isla Sagip Kapwa, a grassroots organization which has been at the forefront of the anti-mining struggle since the Lafayette ownership, some of the residents reported that a ship was seen getting the tailings from the dam which was suspected to be dumped in the Pacific Ocean.

“This is probably the reason why the tailings dam doesn’t overflow even if it has been raining often for the past six months, says Casitas.

Casitas also said that residents have seen divers from the mining company as they collect sea urchins and bury them near the coasts. Their first concern was that their children might step upon the spikes of the urchins because they are being buried shallowly. Later did they realize the crucial role that sea urchins play as they are good indicators of the level of contamination or pollution in the water.

“The action of the mining company to remove the urchins really invites suspicion,” said Casitas.

90% of island given to mining

ISM participants also noted that most of the land area of the small island is already reserved for mining. Along with the resumption of mining operations, the new Korean owners are eyeing for expansion. They have invested $40 million to $50 million to upgrade the facilities of the mine site and are targeting annual production to be about 10,000 tons of copper ore; 50,000 ounces of gold; 600,000 ozs. of silver and 14,000 tons of zinc, Bautista said.

“More than 90 percent of the total land area of the island is targeted for expansion. Under the new management, the mining company was reported by residents to be giving away goods such as soap, toothpaste, etc. to woo local residents of approving expansion in their communities. Every household was reportedly given 10 kilos of rice in December and February amounting to P270, 000. This amount however, is just 0.032% (that’s 3.2% of 1%) of the total annual revenue of the mining company,” Bautista said.

“The ISM will also be looking into how the negative environmental, economic, and social impacts of mining in the island outweigh the little and dubious economic benefits that the project has promised the people. According to the report of Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region V, the company has earned P847 million in 2008. This only shows the huge disparity of the profits of mining companies and the actual benefits of the community, which proves to be only superficial,” said Bautista.

Kalikasan PNE and CEC Phils. together with different partner organizations have been conducting a series solidarity missions (SM) and fact finding missions (FFM) in selected mining areas to look into the impacts of ongoing flagship projects of the Philippine government. Previous missions were conducted last December 6-10, 2008 at the indigenous community affected by OceanaGold in the province of Nueva Vizcaya as well as a FFM in Lobo, Batangas early this year. The outcome of these missions showed that there is an overwhelming need of mining-affected communities to be heard and be supported by other organizations in their struggles for their economic, social, cultural and basic human rights.

References:
· Clemente Bautista, National Coordinator, Kalikasan PNE (0922-844-9787)
· Antonio Casitas, Head Servant, Sagip Isla Sagip Kapwa (0910.274.8844)

Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE)
No.26 Matulungin St. Bgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1100
Tel. No. +63-2-9248756 Fax No. +63-2-9209099
Email: kalikasan.pne [at] gmail [dot] com Website: www.kalikasan.org