DAVAO CITY – A priest in the Diocese of Marbel in South Cotabato has urged his parishioners to carefully examine candidates seeking local posts in the province as the future of the environment was at stake.
While the Roman Catholic Church maintained a non-partisan stance ahead of the coming elections, Social Action Center (SAC) Director Fr. Jerome Millan called on the people of province to “vote according to their conscience” since the future of the Environment Code lies in the hands of the local government officials.
Along with various sectoral groups, the Diocese of Marbel is spearheading the campaign to oppose the proposed amendment of the local code to lift the ban on open pit mining in the province.
“The Environment Code amendment is very dependent on the decisions of Sangguniang Panlalawigan because they are our elected officials, representing the interests of the people,” Millan said in an email to the Manila Bulletin.
“Because of the coming election, we must choose carefully and wisely our candidates to ensure the integrity of our Environment Code”.
The provincial legislators have already conducted two public hearings this month to gather feedback from its constituents before deciding on the proposed amendment.
In 2015, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan have unanimously affirmed the ban on open-pit mining method in the province.
However, six years later, some representatives of the indigenous peoples (Ips) in South Cotabato have petitioned the legislative body to review the code to pave the way for the lifting of the ban.
Protect our home
But Diocese of Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas urged the legislative council to conduct more studies, risk assessments, as well as public hearings.
Casicas reiterated before the SP members that the 93,453 signatures submitted to the body were not just for their information, but the clear stance of the people against the proposed amendment of the Environment Code to lift the open-pit mining method in the province.
During the public hearing on February 24, former board member Elmo Tolosa explained that the reasons behind the enactment of the landmark environmental ordinance in 2010 included the major issues of water and the watersheds that support the province's population, agriculture, industries, tourism, and domestic uses.
He emphasized that open-pit mining cannot solve the economic problem of the national government by sacrificing the local environment and the future generations.
"Charity begins at home and for all of us, South Cotabato is our home. Let us protect and prioritize our home more than the national government”, the former board member pointed out.