Anti-mining crusaders bring advocacy to Cebu

Debilitating illness is not stopping filmmaker Eufemia “Minnie” Solomon Crouse from fighting mining in Siquijor.

And Saddeka Garcia-Tomaneng, former mayor of Tubay, Agusan Del Norte is not hanging her gloves against mining in the Butuan Bay town.

Crouse and Garcia-Tomaneng were the guest speakers in the forum “Digging into the undergrounds of minings, this is our story” at the University of Cebu, College of Law last Friday.

“I don’t have time to die,” said Crouse, who is afflicted with the rare disease called “avascular necrosis” which is defined as cellular death of bone components. Also, she is slowly going blind because of a brain tumor but she feels she must continue to spread the fight against mining, especially firms without permits.

She screened her documentary The Case of Wilkie Duran Monte: Toxic Chemical Victim to environmental law students of UC and the University of Southern PhilippinesFoundation last Friday afternoon. This documentary won in the Cinemanila 2002’s Best Documentary category.

Though Crouse is from Pangasinan and lived in the United States for 40 years, she chose to live Siquijor because it is “where her heart and soul dwells.” She has had her good name impugned for her advocacy against mining in Siquijor.

Her film centers on Wilkie Duran Monte, a worker assigned to mix chemicals with water in the building of a ramp and pier in Lazi. The worker later developed a skin disease and was given medicine for leprosy which only worsened his condition.

His family of three children lost him to the disease in 2000 but the mining firm that he worked for allegedly failed to extend any financial assistance.

The film also showed the adverse environmental impact of mining on water quality and the livestock.

“I dropped everything to show the world that the mining in Siquijor is something not to be welcomed. I am emotionally, physically and financially drained,” Crouse said.

Meanwhile, former Tubay mayor Tomaneng showed the environmental law students the situation in her hometown which also is suffering from the effects of mining by San Roque Mining Inc.

These include the destruction of irrigation of rice fields, contamination of water supply and flooding. But she lamented that the mining company bought all the lands in Agusan which are affected by the mining activity so owners would no longer complain against them. /Christine Emily L. Pantaleon, Correspondent