Caritas Philippines, the development and advocacy arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), urged legislators on Friday, Sept. 8, to protect people and the environment by opposing all proposals to open new mines or expand existing mines.

“We urge the legislators to defend the people and the environment, and to reject all proposals to open up new mines or expand existing mines,” Caritas Philippines President Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said.

The bishop made this statement after a bill had been proposed, aiming to reduce the mining royalty rate from 5 percent to 3 percent under House Bill (HB) No. 8937.

Bishop Bagaforo pointed out that the reduction of the royalty rate will only “benefit mining companies and their shareholders, leaving communities to endure the burden of mining's environmental and social costs.”

“The royalty shares are supposed to be provided by mining companies to these communities as reparation for the damage they cause to their natural ecosystems,” Bagaforo stressed.

He added that reducing the royalty rate will make it more difficult to hold mining firms “accountable” for their actions. 

“With the lower royalty rate, mining companies are incentivized to comply less with environmental and social regulations. This will put the welfare of the communities and the ecosystems at risk,” the bishop said.

Thus, he reiterated that Caritas Philippines opposes mining in the Philippines regardless of the royalty rate. 

Moreover, Bagaforo concluded that “there are better ways to develop our country that do not involve destroying our natural resources and harming our people.”