A DAVAO-BASED environmental group is dismayed over the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to lift the prohibition on open-pit mining.
The Interfacing Development Innovations for Sustainability (Idis) said in a statement on Thursday, December 30, that the four-year-old ban on open-pit mining does not align with the actions addressing climate change and its impacts.
“At a time where many areas in Visayas and Mindanao are struggling due to Typhoon Odette, a policy reversal such as this does not serve the interest of the people,” Idis said in a statement.
The DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2021-40, led by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, scrapped the DAO 2017-10 issued by late former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez that banned open-pit mining since 2017.
Idis said the lifting of the ban is not consistent with the Climate Change Adaptation measure of the country that aims for forest protection and reforestation.
The group added that the open-pit mining will only exploit and threaten the forests, as well as contribute to the Philippines’ vulnerability to climate-related disasters like typhoons.
“(We have) around 20 tropical cyclones every year and an almost daily occurrence of seismic shocks,” Idis said in their statement. “What makes these threatening is that these occurrences become more frequent, aggressive, and disastrous due to human activities, e.g. mining.”
Idis added that the Philippines is located in the Tropical Cyclone belt and Pacific Ring of Fire, making the country exposed to extreme natural disasters.
Meanwhile, the Department of Finance (DOF) has expressed its support behind the recent decision of the DENR to lift the ban on open-pit mining.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III pointed out that Republic Act (RA) No. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 does not prohibit open-pit mining as there are economic, safety, and environmental considerations for employing this method.
“As co-chair of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), I support DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu's decision to lift the ban on open-pit mining. The matter was extensively discussed in the MICC and with advice and guidance from experts, the recommendation was to lift the ban. Adequate safeguards can be implemented to ensure the safety of this mining method. Strict monitoring and enforcement to ensure compliance with environmental standards shall be undertaken to prevent any abuse in the implementation of this type of mining activity,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez also expressed confidence that "the DENR is fully capable of regulating mining operations in the country so that mining activities are conducted safely with due regard to the protection of the environment.”
Meanwhile, Dominguez, who is also the official representative of the President to the Climate Change Commission (CCC), assured that the government will ensure that it will be "mindful of the impact of mining activities on the environment and the country’s goal to significantly reduce its carbon footprint."
“The protection of the environment is non-negotiable. We have to strike a careful balance between preserving and protecting the environment and pursuing our economic development objectives,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez also said with the lifting of the ban, the mining industry can become a key contributor to the nation’s economic recovery as the DENR has projected that open-pit mining will lead to the immediate development of 11 pending projects that are expected to generate about P11 billion combined in yearly government revenue, increase annual exports by P36 billion and provide employment to 22,880 people living in remote municipalities.
“Clearly, it will revive an industry that will create jobs and spur economic growth in the countryside,” Dominguez said.
“More importantly, the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining will help revitalize the economy as we begin to recover from the pandemic by generating additional revenues, royalty fees, export value, and even more jobs in related industries. These economic prospects can still be realized while we continuously implement strategies to manage and avoid the negative impacts of the open-pit mining method,” he added. (ICM with PR)