Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Tampakan yet to see FTAA copy
TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato -- After over a decade of mining exploration activities here, the local government unit has still no copy of the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement forged by the National Government and the project proponents, an official said Thursday.
Acting Vice Mayor Relly Leysa said the Municipal Council has passed a resolution last week demanding the national government to furnish the local government unit a copy of the agreement.
An FTAA certificate gives a holder exclusive rights to conduct mineral exploration in a contract area.
The original holder of the rights for the Tampakan project was Western Mining Corp. In 2001, then Environment secretary Heherson Alvarez approved the transfer of rights to Sagittarius Mines, Inc after Western Mining decided to give up the project.
"Based on the records of the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council), requests for a copy of the FTAA gained ground in 1995. But up to now, we still have no copy of the agreement," Leysa told a forum here dubbed "Talakayan 07: Mining and Mineral Industry in the Philippines."
Constancio Paye, Jr., regional director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, promised that his office will provide the local government unit a copy of the agreement.
Sagittarius is being backed by two foreign firms--Xstrata Copper and Indophil Resources NL.
The venture is still in the exploration stage, although a prefeasibility study conducted in September last year showed mineral deposits of about two million tons, containing 11.6 million tons of copper and 14.6 ounces of gold at a 0.3% percent copper cut-off grade.
The project, which is staunchly opposed by the local Catholic Church for fear of a looming environmental catastrophe, straddles the towns of Tampakan, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.
Leysa said they are seeking a copy of the FTAA to know the specific benefits that will be enjoyed by the locality.
Aside from the taxes and fees, the firm has provided annual development assistance worth P1 million each to the three local government units, P1.5 million to each of the five host tribal communities and P1 million each to the five host barangays.
