Monday, December 18, 2006 Guv orders halt of coal exploration in Lake Sebu
KORONADAL CITY -- The Provincial Government of South Cotabato has ordered a coal-mining firm to stop its exploration activities after farmers complained that the vital farm-to-market infrastructure is now being rendered impassable by heavy traffic from company vehicles.
South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance Fuentes said she recently sent a team to investigate the coal exploration activities in Lake Sebu town.
An estimated two kilometers of road section connecting Upper Sepaka in Surallah town and Ned were reportedly damaged by heavy vehicles that the mining companies used in hauling equipment and timber.
Even the reliable improvised passenger motorcycles, which are better known as "habal-habal," are proving no match to the difficulty of negotiating the P73-million road funded by the Asian Development Bank.
Citing the report of the team published by the provincial information office on December 8, Fuentes said, "Vehicles carrying farm products were often stuck especially when the coal mine drilling is in full operation and using heavy equipment that vibrates, causing adverse effect to the construction of the road section."
Fuentes noted that the coal-mining firms' heavy vehicles damaged the road section by using the chains rounded over their rear tires to serve as spikes.
Piles of timber were also placed in the road section that aggravated the condition, she added.
Fuentes said the exploration activities along the 23-kilometer road stretch would be prohibited even as she ordered the immediate removal of timber matting placed at the pathway.
"Vehicles with chains attached to the tires shall also be prohibited from using the road section," she stressed.
The team that investigated the coal exploration activities within Ned was composed of Ireneo Malesido and Freddie Daylusan, both from the provincial governor's office, and the Philippine National Police headed by Senior Inspector Rommel Javier.
Exploration activities in Ned are being undertaken by Daguma Agro Minerals, Inc., its sister company Bonanza Energy Resources, Inc., and MG Mining and Energy Corp.
Coal deposits in Lake Sebu is said to be among one of the largest reserves in the country.
Flor dela Cruz, community development and external relations officer of MG Mining, said the firm has not officially received the order.
However, she said MG Mining "has no exploration activities in the last four or five months since the sub-contractor's drilling equipment have been malfunctioning."
"Our only activities in Ned at this point are mapping and building community relations," she said.
Dela Cruz instead blamed the destruction of the road section to the exploration activities of Daguma and Bonanza.
The Manila office of Daguma last week declined to give any comment and said its president, Benjamin Guingona, was out of the office.
