THE 17th City Council resumes today, March 24, the discussion on the proposed ordinance that seeks to totally ban mining operations in Davao.
The proposed ordinance is authored by Councilor Leo Avila, chair of the council committee on environment, with Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang as co-author.
It was deferred last week since the councilors were set to invite "more resource persons" from different offices "to give us more information about the legal issues on the proposed mining ban."
Floor leader Councilor Bernard Al-ag said they will invite officials from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Davao and City Planning and Development Office.
Under the proposed ordinance, violators will face one year of imprisonment and/or a fine of not more than P5,000 only, without prejudice to the filing of the appropriate administrative, civil or criminal action.
The draft of the proposed ordinance also states that even government officials and employees who will violate the policy will face administrative charges.
"While mining has been identified as a highly-important economic program of the National Government, the city recognizes the irreversibility of the destructive effects of mining on the earth's fragile ecosystem, especially to an island ecosystem such as Mindanao, and in worsening the magnitude of hunger and conflict as mining competes with the remaining available land, water and food resources," the measure read. (ANC)