DAVAO CITY – The Diocese of Marbel and multi-sectoral groups have reiterated their stance opposing the amendment of the provision of the local environment code that bans open pit mining in South Cotabato .

In a statement sent to the media, the Diocese of Marbel in Koronadal, South Cotabato, chided the public consultation on Feb. 18, 2022, initiated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as it was geared towards the lifting of the open pit mining ban.

“The lifting of the ban will open our province to all the mining methods including the large scale open pit mining operations with huge and irreversible impacts to the environment and the communities, not only in our province but also to the neighboring provinces and municipalities,” read the statement from the Social Action Center of the diocese.

The Environment Code, which was enacted in 2010 , closed the door on open-pit mining projects in the province, and stalled the plans of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) to extract huge gold and copper deposits in Tampakan town.

SMI’s Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) covers 23,571-hectares that spans across the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Davao del Sur.

According the reports, the deposits has an estimated 12.8 million metric tons of copper, and 15.2 million ounces of gold.

But 11 years later, the provincial government under Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. reconsidered the review of the local code in a hope to lift of the ban on open-pit mining  

This moved prompted the Diocese of Marbel to launch a signature campaign to oppose the lifting of the ban. 

The campaign earned a total of 93,453 signatures and submitted their position to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in December last year.  

“We are dismayed by the statement of Board Member Larry de Pedro VI that the signatures are not specifically supporting Section 22 (b) banning open pit mining in the province. Such statement is a disrespect to the rights of the thousands of signatories calling for the SP to protect the Environment Code,” the statement added.
 
The Social Action Center also urged the provincial legislators to conduct more public hearings in other municipalities within the province. “The SP members have to listen to the voice of the people and ensure that this legislative process is towards protecting the people of the present and the generations to come and providing all with a balanced ecology to live with,” it said.