Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Monday, June 6 commended South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. for vetoing the controversial local measure that seeks to lift the ban on open-pit mining in the province which was approved by the Provincial Board two weeks ago.
“I laud South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. in his veto of the Provincial Board’s lifting of the ban on open-pit mining in the province. Mabuhay ka, Gov.! Thank you for doing the right thing,” de Lima said in her recent tweet.
De Lima, in an earlier handwritten statement, urged Tamayo to veto the said Provincial Board’s amendment of the local environment code on open-pit mining and heed the calls of various groups and individuals on the matter.
The senator lauded Tamayo for heeding the call of all concerned sectors on the possible lifting of the open-pit mining ban.
Tamayo reportedly announced his decision in a public statement last June 3, a day before the deadline for him to act on the amendment of Ordinance No. 22 or the South Cotabato Environment Code.
“I am informing the general public of South Cotabato that Resolution No. 137, enacting Ordinance No. 23 series of 2022 amending pertinent provisions of the Environment Code of South Cotabato, is vetoed by the provincial governor,” Tamayo said.
He issued the veto “for being prejudical to the public welfare and inimical to the overall interest of all South Cotabateños,” invoking the language of the Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act No. 7160, which allows local chief executives to veto local ordinances.
De Lima reiterated that the veto of the Provincial Board’s lifting of the ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato will benefit both the people and the environment.
“Sa lahat ng pagkakataon, pangunahing konsiderasyon dapat ng mga pinuno at lingkod bayan ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mas nakakarami. Isang paraan dito ang pangangalaga sa kalikasan (In every opportunity, the main consideration of leaders and public servants should be the interest of the people. That includes taking care of the environment),” the outgoing senator said.