By ROSLYN ARAYATA
Alyansa Tigil Mina
VICTORIA, Oriental Mindoro. —Local candidates of the Liberal Party recently expressed their opposition to large-scale mining activities in the province.
At the miting de avance held in Sitio Tamaraw, Barangay Poblacion III ON Saturday, Victoria’s incumbent mayor and reelectionist Alfredo G. Ortega said the town managed to become a second-class municipality last year without having to depend on mining. Victoria was able to derive income from increased tax collection on agriculture and infrastructure improvements.
“Grupong maaasahan, tagapagtanggol ng kalikasan (Defenders of the environment)” is the group’s slogan, emphasizing the need to promote the local agriculture industry and oppose mining.
Incumbent vice mayor and reelectionist Louie Castillet also said the local LP chose its candidates on the basis of their opposition to mining.
Also in the slate are reelectionists Mercy Dimaano-Dumas, Dolor F. Gasic, Rowell P. Ganad and Tanie Dalimot Malitao Jr. who are running for councilors.
Gasic, for example, joined the 11-day hunger strike of anti-mining Mindoreños in Manila last November to seek the cancellation of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) granted to Intex Resources by then environment secretary Joselito Atienza.
Ganad is the son of staunch anti-mining advocate Ricardo Ganad who was slain last February.
LP bet gubernatorial bet Rep. Alfonso V. Umali Jr. of Oriental Mindoro’s 2nd district filed House Resolution 1095 last year in opposition to large-scale mining in the province. He also supported the Mindoreños’ hunger strike to stop the Mindoro Nickel Project.
“Local government officials, in spite of their different political affiliations, can be united for a common cause to protect their constituency against development aggressions, which can violate human rights in aspects of environmental, economic, social, civil and political. Most cases in mining affected communities in the Philippines reflect these violations upon the entry of large-scale mining,” said ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.
In 2002, a 25-year mining moratorium was issued in Oriental Mindoro.
Victoria has about 27,000 registered voters. Barangay Poblacion III, with 1,803 registered voters, has the second largest number of voters among the 32 barangays in the town.