Lopez: Mining not evil but leaves much to be desired

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez answers questions of members of the Commission on Appointments in a hearing Tuesday, May 2, 2017. INQUIRER FILE / Grig C. Montegrande

Mining as an industry is not bad but miners should get their act together, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said on Tuesday.

At the resumption of her confirmation hearing before the Commission on Appointments’ committee on environment and natural resources, Lopez was asked by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano if mining was “inherently evil.”

Responding to Cayetano, the Secretary answered no.

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“So there are mining that are responsible and are good?” Cayetano, staunch ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, asked again.

“Yes, totally,” Lopez said.

In the course of Cayetano’s questioning, however, the Secretary lamented that there were more poor people in areas where there is mining.

“If the environment gets destroyed, it affects one-third of our population . It’s the poor that suffer,” she said.

“If mining is so good, then how come that in all the areas where there’s mining the poverty level is higher than the average? Clearly, it can’t be business as usual,” said Lopez.

“That’s why I asked you from the start , is all mining evil? Ang sagot nyo hindi. But every time may discussion na sinasabi nyo, poor yung area dahil sa mining. Hindi ba baligtad na may mga lugar na lalong naghirap dahil sa mining pero may mga lugar na yumaman dahil sa mining,” Cayetano said.

Again responding to the senator, the Secretary said: “In essence Sir, what I’m saying is that we should move forward. That’s why I’m working together with the mining companies.”

“I’m saying that mining as an industry is not bad but…you need to get your acts together and I will help you make a greater economic impact. But as it stands now, it leaves much to be desired,” Lopez added. CBB/rga