Large-scale mining poses bigger damage to environment, says CBCP official

MANILA, Philippines—An official of the Catholic Bishops’ social arm on Friday said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources must not entirely blame small-scale mining for the landslide that recently occurred in Compostela Valley.

Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action, said large-scale mining, being promoted by the Mining Act of 1995, posed bigger damage to the environment.

“Small-scale mining also brings about damage but not as much as open-pit or large-scale mining does,” said Gariguez over the Church-run Radio Veritas on Friday.

In the wake of the killer landslide last week in Pantukan town, the government must seriously consider repeated calls by Catholic bishops for a mining moratorium and the amendment of mining laws, said the priest, who joined Mangyan leaders and village officials from Mindoro in holding a nine-day hunger strike against large-scale mining in 2009.

“What we need is responsible mining but this cannot be done if the government will not make changes in the mining law, which only benefits foreigners and some government officials,” Gariguez pointed out.

On Thursday, the local government in Pantukan–the site of the landslide that killed 37 people–has succeeded in peacefully dismantling makeshift homes and sending away miners from the danger zone.

Despite the risks, small-scale miners have been making a living out of digging in the area in the hope of striking gold. A miner could earn between P2,000 to P2,500 per gram of gold.

In light of the demolition, Gariguez on Friday stressed the need for the government to advance sustainable agriculture to provide miners who have been affected by the tragedy with alternative livelihood.

“The government must also extend its support especially in the relocation and housing of those affected,” he added.