Mining firm says foes should take closer look

A mining firm that has taken fire from environmental groups in Palawan has come out to defend its operations in the province, saying they have been “socially acceptable, environment-friendly and economically beneficial.”

In a letter to Leo Jasareno, acting director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), mining firm MacroAsia said criticisms hurled by the group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) against its operations in Palawan were based on unfounded biases against mining.

In a statement quoting its letter to MGB, MacroAsia said it signed an agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on
Dec. 1, 2005 to develop and operate mineral resources in Brooke’s Point, Palawan.

“Thus, the mining firm is a partner of government in implementing the policy of revitalizing the large-scale mining industry in the Philippines,” said the statement, quoting Ramon N. Santos, vice president for operations of MacroAsia.

The firm said it enjoys the support of communities who are now benefiting from community and social development projects that the firm is now carrying out.

It has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Palawan indigenous people on April 21, 2010 manifesting the tribal people’s consent to MacroAsia operations.

No farms would be mined or directly affected by mining, said the MacroAsia statement.

It said mining rights acquired by MacroAsia from government are not covered by the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape.

MacroAsia, while it was still known as Infanta Mining, exported nickel to Japan from 1977 to 1978 before it suspended operations due to low metal prices and high production costs.

It got clearance on June 24, 2005 to explore 1,113 hectares of land in Palawan and conducted drilling and exploration work there from August 2006 to August 2010, identifying at least 88 million tons of nickel reserves.

Santos said should MacroAsia be able to extract 1 million tons of nickel per year, the community where it operates would have direct benefits worth at least P800 million during the mine’s 10-year life span.

These, Santos said, do not include taxes that would be collected from workers, income from downstream businesses and construction of schools and health centers.

Santos said MacroAsia is committed to rehabilitate its mining site and other surrounding areas and had asked its critics to help it develop an environmental program.

The firm, Santos said, would observe a mining system that would reduce the number of areas that would be opened for extraction.