By
Jeffrey M. Tupas, Inquirer
10 November 2006
DAVAO CITY -- Residents and officials of a village
in Maragusan town, Compostela Valley province have banded together to block the
inclusion of their area in a mining zone.
Recently, the Mines and Geosciences
Bureau (MGB) proposed that Barangay Coronobe be included in the mineral reservation
zone in Southern Mindanao.
A foreign mining company has applied for a Mineral
Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) with the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR). The application covers 5,551 hectares of land that straddles
the villages of Coronobe, Langawisan and Bahi in Maragusan and Araibo in Pantukan
town.
But early this month, the barangay council of Coronobe and the residents
signed a manifesto opposing the application for an MPSA "We are against the
large-scale mining operations here because we know its effects on the environment.
We are also concerned about its effect on our livelihood and the possible displacement
of the indigenous people," Dafroso Nalual Sr., Coronobe village chair, said.
Nalual
said other villages have also signified their intention to join the campaign against
the approval of the MPSA.
Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao, an environmental
group, said Jake Mining's application for exploration came at a time when the
MGB was conducting public hearings on the proposal declaring Mount Ayag, which
includes Maragusan, a mineral reservation area.
"The people cannot
be fooled anymore. They know the implications of the reservation zone being proposed
by the government. We could only expect to see and witness the wanton destruction
of the environment should this happen," Paolo Dumayac, secretary general
of Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao said.
Meanwhile, the town mayor of Governor
Generoso in Davao Oriental is blaming big mining operators for his suspension.
The
preventive suspension order against Mayor Jerry dela Cerna stemmed from the case
filed by one Shirley Ceniza, a municipal social worker, for violation of the Anti-Graft
and Corruption Practices Act (RA 3019).
Ceniza accused the mayor of paying
a ghost employee a salary of P1,500 a month. The mayor denied the accusation saying
the person being referred to as a ghost employee is Darvin Taghoy, who had actually
worked as an encoder for the municipal government.
He explained Taghoy's
services were also required for the drafting of the town's development plan. His
services were terminated when the draft was finished.
Dela Cerna, a former
Catholic priest who had actively opposed large-scale mining in his town, said
mining companies had been determined to remove him from office. The municipal
council had passed a resolution banning all large and medium-scale mining operations
in the town, a policy that angered mining firms, according to dela Cerna.
"These
miners are very happy because I was suspended and they are actually expecting
that I would be convicted of graft and corruption. They are supportive of the
complaint because should I be convicted, they can start with their operations
in my town again," dela Cerna said.
Only small-scale miners are allowed
in the town but their operations are strictly monitored.
Dela Cerna said
at least 26 mining corporations immediately applied for mining permits to operate
in the town when his suspension was handed down.
