Eco groups hit Palawan mining ‘midnight deal’

Environmentalists have demanded transparency from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) even as they accused the government agency of entering into a “midnight deal” with a mining company.

Green groups have charged DENR of fast tracking a mining contract in Palawan in favor of MBMI Resources, a mining company that has stake on a wide area of forested lands in the rpovince that is rich in biodiversity.

They claimed the alleged contract is contained in a Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) which combines other contracts separately awarded to Narra Nickel Mining and Development Inc. (NNMDC), Tesoro Mining and Development Inc. (TMDI), and McArthur Mining, Inc. (MMI).

The smaller mining contracts cover four mining projects located in the municipalities of Rizal, Bataraza and Narra, all in Palawan.

Alarmed

Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director of the National Secretariat of Social Action of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP-NASSA), has expressed alarm on the alleged awarding of contract.

“The granting of this latest FTAA in Palawan, if true, goes against the Catholic social teaching of stewardship of the Earth and preferential treatment of the poor,” he said, adding that “given the fragile ecology of Palawan and the opposition of local communities, especially IPs, the mining contract should be rescinded as soon as possible.”

The influential Catholic Church in the Philippines has consistently been vocal in its opposition against large-scale mining because of its destructive impact on ecology and livelihood of the people.

For his part, Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina, an alliance of mining-affected communities and support groups, dared DENR to be transparent and urged it to release documents for perusal.

“It is unacceptable that affected communities and the rest of the Filipino people learn about this midnight mining contract from international sources and the mining company, and yet the DENR itself is mum about it,” Garganera said.

The groups believed that the FTAA approval will allow MBMI and its Philippine partners to expand in its exploration activities in the province.

At least more than 3,200 hectares forested lands rich in biodiversity along Mt. Bulanjao range in southern Palawan will be impacted by mining if pushed through, not to mention the six major rivers that provide water supply to the population.

“It is the highest form of irony and hypocrisy that a destructive midnight mining deal was fast-tracked in Palawan, a province that is considered as a global biodiversity hotspot, and host to one of the wonders of the modern world – the St. Paul Subterranean River System,” Garganera lamented.

Worst activity

Artiso Mandawa, spokesperson for ALDAW/NATRIPAL (Ancestral Land and Domain Watch-Nagkakaisang Tribo ng Palawan), also decried the DENR’s alleged sneaky decision.

He lamented that mining has so far brought conflict among the people as it destroys not only the environment but also the cultural values of the people.

“Mining is the worst activity of man because it destroys our mother earth; it destroys our livelihood and our Life," Mandawa said.

Protest rally

Led by ALDAW and NATRIPAL, some 500 people joined a caravan rally last June 7 to protest against mining in Palawan.

Other groups who supported the protest include the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Ipilan, Brooke's Point, GLACC (Global Legal Action on Climate Change), Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), and the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI).