Village chief seeks talks with Philex

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Ampucao village chief Eddie Amuasen is asking for a dialog between Philex Mining Corporation and residents.

Amuasen wrote the office of the Emmanuel Umali, manager of the Watershed Management Department of the National Power Corporation, asking for a dialog.

“Related to this, may we request your good office for an immediate dialogue with the various concerned LGUs (local government units), Philex Mining Corporation and concerned government agencies,” Amuasen’s letter stated.

The village chief said Philex Mining Corporation has been conducting manual cleaning, dredging, sand packing and stockpiling tailing waste without coordinating with the concerned LGUs.

Amuasen said this is in relation to the sink hole of the Tailings Dam 3 of Philex Mining Corporation, affecting the San Roque Dam Watershed and the ancestral land claim of the community along the portion of Kawaya, Canagyan and Tayum of Barangay Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet.

“The dialogue is earnestly requested in order to possibly come up of a more comprehensive plan for the cleaning of the tailing waste and to discuss important matters concerning the tailing spillage,” said Amuasen.

An individual fact finding mission done by Katribu revealed agricultural production in the areas has since decreased as deposition of sediments, which are sticky and when it dries become hard as cement, has prevented water to permeate through the soil.

Residents have also reportedly been suffering from several diseases on the skin with signs of rashes, itchiness, scaling and roughness, diarrhea, nausea, headache and sore throat upon contact or exposure to the tailings and water.

There have been reports of death of livestock in the area after drinking the water from the river.