Social cost must precede economic gain in deciding about mining, says Robredo

An elderly man walks toward the venue of the campaign rally of Vice President Leni Robredo in Bayugan City on Wednesday. CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN

BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur — Vice President Leni Robredo said she will put weight on the social cost to affected communities rather than the economic benefits of mining in deciding about mineral extraction projects.

Robredo told reporters on the sidelines of her campaign sortie here on Wednesday that mining companies should ensure their responsibility to the communities where they operate.

“At the end of the day, economic benefits should not outweigh social costs, which should (rather) be the first priority,” Robredo said.

She also said she is opposed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order lifting the moratorium on the grant of new mining contracts, reasoning that enough safeguards were not yet put in place.

Robredo pointed out that the reason for the moratorium was to give time for the government and the mining industry to thresh out serious issues and concerns such as abuses not only to the environment but to the communities.

The vice president in a forum with women lawyers last month said that if elected as president on May 9, she would reimpose the moratorium.

But she clarified that she is not for an absolute ban on mining, rather, she wanted responsible mining.

Robredo vowed to push for the passage by Congress of the National Land Use Act which would identify mining zones in the country. The measure has been pending in Congress for quite a time.

From March 8-9, Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, barnstormed the mineral-rich Caraga region, the seat of the country’s mining industry.

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