By ROSLYN ARAYATA
Alyansa Tigil Mina
MAJORITY of the presidential candidates favor a revision of the country’s mining policy, a survey of a network of green groups revealed.
Conducted on the third week of February by the Green Electoral Initiative (GEI) led by EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace, the results showed that six of the seven candidates who responded to the GEI survey support the passing of an Alternative Mining Code.
Since the passage of the Mining Act in 1995, groups have pushed for its repeal, citing provisions in the law that provide no economic benefits to the communities while presenting risks to health, livelihood and massive damage to the environment.
“We should review the Mining Act and its implementation, particularly the fiscal incentives, in order for us to maximize the economic benefits of the extractive industry,” Sen. Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party said.
He added that mining should be sustainable. He said the law should guarantee that the exploration, development and utilization of mineral resources are primarily for the benefit of the Filipino people; provide viable and sustainable livelihood choices for communities; ensure that the gains from the mining industry will be maximized while protecting the environment at the same time; prioritize local participation in decisions surrounding mining; and protect the human rights of communities and individuals from the impact of the mining projects.
Sen. Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan party, meanwhile, gave a qualified yes. He said he was not against the involvement of foreigners in the industry, even if it meant 100-percent participation or ownership through the Financial Technical Assistant Agreements (FTAAs).
“Nationality is not a determinant of whether one will be an effective steward of resources. In fact, there are a number of our fellow Filipinos who do not deserve the name because they have done nothing but destroy our very own resources,” he said.
Gordon added that it is important for both host communities and the country to benefit from any mining project, particularly through a participative and effective decision-making process.
Independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas expressed support for the passage of the Alternative Mining Bill “promoted by progressive legislators.”
Perlas said mining practices continue to be environmentally unsound and socially disruptive. He said there must be an appropriate regulation and a genuine implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
“Together with this bill and complementing it, we will ensure that benefits arising from extractive industries like mining accrue to the local community. We will also give priority to, and where appropriate provide, financial and technical support for small-scale, community-owned mining operations that are ecologically sound and socially responsible,” he added.
Perlas also said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources should stop issuing mining permits in watershed and ancestral domain areas.
Nacionalista Party candidate Manuel Villar said, “It is imperative to review the present legislation on the mining industry and fine-tune contentious provisions to put in place a mining policy that is pro-people, ensures the protection of the environment and promotes national growth.”
John Carlos de los Reyes of the Ang Kapatiran party said he favored a legislation for an Alternative Mining Code while Bangon Pilipinas’s Bro. Eddie Villanueva said “the current mining systems and policies are not working for us.”
Sen. Jamby Madrigal did not say if she was for or against the Alternative Mining Code but said she does not believe that mining serves as an engine for national progress and development.
If elected, Madrigal said she would also serve as environment secretary and order the suspension of all existing mining permits in her first 100 days in office.
Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) national coordinator Jaybee Garganera said while the alliance was satisfied with the policy directions of the candidates, it would like to see “their words…translate(d) into action after election.” ATM is a coalition of more than 80 organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide.
The two presidential candidates who failed to respond are former president Joseph Estrada of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Gilberto Teodoro of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
In 1999, Estrada took steps to scrap the Mining Act of 1995 and recall the Presidential Administrative Orders allowing mining firms to operate in tribal domains. Teodoro has issued previous statements opposing open-pit mining.