PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Ka Leody De Guzman is advancing a “just transition to a green economy” as a solution to destructive extractive industries like mining and logging.
“I felt an intense sadness when I first saw images of the large open-pit that resulted from the mining. How do big businessmen and government officials responsible for this sleep at night?” asked De Guzman following his visit to Manicani Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
De Guzman said that alleged “destructive mining should be stopped because it also endangers the lives of citizens like what happened in Manicani.”
“They need to be made accountable for their crime against the people of Manicani. They should be the ones who pay for the cost of rehabilitating the whole island to recover the lost lives and livelihoods of our farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.
In a statement, the labor leader also maintained that the local residents “should be given the knowledge and skills to conserve the ecology of their environments, which is crucial to the return of their livelihoods in farming and fishing.”
De Guzman visited Manicani Island “to draw the attention of the nation and 2022 electoral candidates to the effect of large-scale mining that is destroying the environment and sustainable livelihood of communities.”
Meanwhile, a talk has been reportedly ongoing regarding the rehabilitation of Manicani Island.