Saturday, October 27, 2007 Loren asks: Show tribal village made rich by mining By Carlo P. Mallo
SENATOR Loren Legarda challenged advocates of the mining industry to show her a community of indigenous people that has grown rich due to the benefits of mining and she will become pro-mining.
"We have to ensure that the indigenous people are not adversely affected by the mining industry," Legarda said in an interview Friday. Legarda flew to Davao City Friday to take part in the Cultural Tourism Forum in neighboring Tagum City.
Legarda said the government must ensure that mining projects in the country are studied well, socially acceptable, and environmentally sustainable.
"Huwag naman natin buksan ang ating bansa para sa mga dayuhan upan ito'y gawing sungkaan," Legarda added, "Huwag tayong padalos-dalos." (Let's not open our country so that foreigners could abuse it. Let's not be too hasty.)
Legarda also said that apart from national parks and the ancestral domain of the indigenous people, mining must also be prohibited in areas that are considered watersheds and natural parks.
Apart from mining, Legarda said the tourism industry is also taking its toll on the indigenous people.
"We need to incorporate into the pending Philippine Tourism Bill of 2007 provisions that would protect the tribal Filipinos and the environment," Legarda said in a statement.
