Saturday, July 26, 2008 Capitol to monitor mining exploration in NegOr By Edmund B. Sestoso
NEGROS Oriental Vice Governor Jose "Petit" Baldado has assured the public that the environment remains the topmost priority of the province.
Balbado said Capitol officials might come up with a task force that will closely monitor the exploration and mining activities by private firms or even government-owned and controlled corporations.
The vice governor's statement came a day after a private firm was given the go signal for its exploration activities in at least four towns in Negros Island.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) based in Cebu City detected possible bulk deposits of gold and copper in these areas.
MGB Legal Officer Gerardo Mahusay said the mines bureau has signed the approval papers last July 18.
The Epithermal Gold Corporation plans to use an estimated 4,000 hectares of land in Jimalalud and Tayasan towns in Negros Oriental, and Binalbagan and Himalayan Cities in Negros Occidental for its exploratory activities for possible volume deposits of gold and copper.
The vice governor said that he was told by the management of the private firm that they will not be using heavy equipment yet as their permit is still on the exploratory stage for the period of two years.
"Ato lang nang tan-awon kung ila bang tumanon ang ilang saad kay ato man gyud nga protektahan ang atong kinaiyanhan (We will see if they will do as they have promised because we will be protecting our environment)," Baldado said.
The vice governor, who had pro-environmental stands in the past, has also allayed fears of some sectors that there will be destruction of the remaining forest reserves in the province once the exploration starts.
He said, however, that the private firm will not cut trees, but merely shrubs that might get in the way of their operations.
He also said the province will be closely monitoring the controversial exploration for geothermal energy at the Mt. Kanlaon. Its area includes some towns and cities in the nearby Negros Occidental.
Many environmentalists in Bacolod City lambasted Negros Occidental leaders who gave the mining firm the go signal to proceed with the exploration activities.
Baldado said once the exploration touches parts of Negros Oriental, he will talk with his counterpart in the other side of Negros Island.
The vice governor also lamented the move of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau for
giving exploration permits without consulting the local government.
He said the local government is in the best position to determine the safety of the area where exploration is conducted compared with people from Luzon.
"Mao ning nakadaot kay igo na lang ta pahibaw-on, pero sila ra sa national government ang magbuot nga unta layo ra man sila, ug magkinaunsa, dili man sila ang direkta nga maapektahan, kita man nga mga Negrosanons. (This is the problem. We are only informed but those in the national government are the ones who decide when they are far. When problems arise, it is not them who will be affected but us Negrosanons)," Baldado said.
