1st People’s Mining Summit set in Oro today

NEWLY-ORGANIZED movement called Sulog will host the 1st People’s Mining Summit today, October 6, 1 p.m. at the Capitol University gymnasium in Cagayan de Oro.
 
Sulog vice chair Nixon Baban said they have invited Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Senators Koko Pimentel and Loren Legarda, Mayor Vicente Emano, Governor Oscar Moreno, Representative Rufus Rodriguez, and other dignitaries to join the summit.

Among the topics to be discussed in the summit are mining and other environment concerns in Cagayan de Oro, the Cagayan de Oro River Basic Management Council, the people on the ground, the role of the government in mining, the future of mining in Cagayan de Oro and the legislative agenda on mining.
 
Rep. Isidro Lico of Ating Koop partylist will be the keynote speaker who is scheduled to give a privilege speech at the House of Representatives next week on the same topic.
 
Orlando Ravanera, chairperson of Sulog and the regional director of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), said over the long-term, Sulog will formally organize itself as an advocacy cooperative to conduct advocacy and training on the protection and sustainability of the environment.
 
“We will accept members nationwide and let justice and righteousness flow like a never failing stream to protect and sustain God’s gifts to us,” Ravanera said.
 
Former councilor and Sulog member Celestino Ocio said the movement is born to enlighten, unite and to empower the people “determined to address, overcome and change the torrential tide of environmental damages confronting our society today.”
 
Some 43 members of the core group representing cause-oriented groups, indigenous peoples and civic clubs joined hands barely two months ago to create an all-inclusive group of people dedicated to a sustainable development and lifestyle of the nation’s patrimony.
 
“We have come together as one united society of concerned citizens, determined to make a difference in protecting and preserving our environment for our sake, our children's and our children's children,” said Baban “With a strong resolved to achieve our goals, we implore the guidance of the Divine Being to see us through this arduous battle.”
 
He noted that mining and illegal logging have not helped address mass poverty and the gross inequalities of income, wealth and political power.

“Despite their claims as drivers of development, mining and logging companies have failed to show any evidence they have effectively addressed mass poverty and gross inequalities in our country. Mining and logging areas are among our poorest areas and have left us with degraded environments with the taxpayers left to pay for the cost for their rehabilitation. The revenue collection rate on mining and logging are even lower than the EVAT we pay for the products we purchase from the grocery or drugstore,” he said.