Misamis Oriental declares 1-year moratorium on mining

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

THE Misamis Oriental Provincial Board approved on Monday a resolution declaring a one-year moratorium on the conduct of small-scale mining operations in Opol town and the issuance of new endorsements for mining applications throughout the province.

Vice Governor Norris C. Babiera, who authored the resolution, said the unimaginable havoc brought by Tropical Storm Sendong in December now calls for more aggressive and pro-active actions from the local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations.

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Babiera said the proliferation of small-scale mining operations, particularly in the hinterlands of Opol in Misamis Oriental and along Iponan River in Cagayan de Oro, has raised very serious concerns in various joint fora and multi-sector geo-hazard and risk assessments.

He said it is important to consider declaring a moratorium on small-scale mining operations in the area and issue new endorsements for those who will be applying for small-scale mining to prevent further destruction to the environment.

“It is the thrust of the province of Misamis Oriental to protect and conserve its environment, not only for the greater good of the majority of the present generation but also to reassure the existence of the same natural resources to adequately satisfy the need of the future generation,” Babiera said.

The governor is reportedly the one who approves small-scale mining applications after the applicant gets the endorsement from the local municipal board and the barangay council.

With the governor’s endorsement, Babiera said the applicant then gets the needed Environment Clearance Certificate from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

During Monday’s deliberation of the proposed resolution, Board Member Jesus M. Jardin suggested it should be made into an ordinance, instead of a resolution, for it to be effectively implemented.

“If for example, the local chief executive or Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) will not abide with the resolution, it would defeat its purpose,” Jardin said.

But Board Member Benedict Lagbas, co-author of the resolution and chairperson of the Provincial Board’s committee on environment, said they will still request the committee members to pass an ordinance revisiting the Environment Code.

“All of these will be finalized, including the Environment Code,” Lagbas said.

Babiera added that the resolution initially aims to declare a moratorium while the passing of the ordinance would follow later considering the existence of the Environment Code.

He said once the ordinance would be finalized, they would include a penal provision on the use of hydraulic mining, which is prevalent along the Iponan River and is reportedly “destructive” as it uses water pumps.

“There is no law regulating the use of water pumps that’s why it is important that we include it in the ordinance, making the use water pumps in hydraulic mining and small scale-mining illegal because it is destructive to the environment,” Babiera said.