DAVAO CITY – Hallmark Mining Corp. has denied reports that its workers had been trapped in a nickel mine site in the coastal Barangay Macambol in Mati City, Davao Oriental due to severe flooding on January 18.
CLEARING operations continue on the road linking Barangay Macambol proper to Sitio Magum in Barangay Macambol, Mati City. (Photo courtesy of Sangguniang Kabataan Macambol)
Dr. Arvin Carlom, community relations officer of Hallmark Mining Corp., clarified that all workers safely evacuated from their Salingkomot Base Camp to Magum Camp at the height of the flooding.
A report (not in the Manila Bulletin) stated that about 300 miners were trapped in the mine site due to severe flooding in the mining firm’s base camp amid continuous rains.
Carlom confirmed that some parts of the Salingkomot Base Camp were indeed flooded on Thursday.
Mine workers were forced to evacuate by foot through the dirt road going to Magum Camp because it was no longer safe to stay in the area due to bad weather, Carlom said.
He added that it took the workers two hours to reach Sitio Magum.
Carlom denied that the base camp sustained major damage due to the flooding. “Totally not true that they were trapped and cut-off,” he said.
According to residents in Barangay Macambol, the mining firm’s base camp sits on an old riverbed that used to drain to Pujada Bay.
Hallmark Mining Corp. is engaged in the multi-billion Pujada Nickel Project beside the protected area of the Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Range Sanctuary.
Philippine Coast Guard-Davao Oriental Station chief Lt. Vincent Bryan Marcos reported that a liaison officer of the company sought assistance to conduct a sea rescue of about 240 workers after they were stranded in the mining site.
However, an official of Barangay Macambol discouraged the PCG to initiate a sea rescue as it is too risky due big waves, Marcos added.
He added that the miners were told to evacuate to safer grounds instead and provide the PCG an update of their status every two hours.
The City Information Office of Mati also confirmed that the mine workers were indeed stranded in the area due bad weather.
However, Carlom clarified that the company did not seek assistance from the PCG to rescue the workers by sea.
He said maybe there were some of them who requested the PCG for a sea rescue because they wanted to leave the site but could not pass through the road due to landslides.
Instead, all workers were advised to stay inside the Magum Camp for their safety since many areas going to Barangay Dawan remains unsafe due to landslides, Carlom said.
Barangay Dawan, which is the entry point to Barangay Macambol, is about 20 kilometers away.
He added that some parts of the road leading to Barangay Dawan were impassable due to landslides and swelling of the Catmonan River.
A resident in Barangay Macambol confirmed to Manila Bulletin over the phone the swelling of Catmonan River on Thursday and washed away some structures of the spring resorts on the river.
As of January 20, Carlom said the mining firm is now conducting road repairs, clearing operations, and minor repairs at Salingkomot Base Camp, adding that mining operations were not suspended.
Barangay Macambol Chairman Cerino Salazar said flooding in some parts of the barangay have subsided.
However, Salazar said some parts of the barangay proper to Barangay Magum are still damaged and clearing operations are still ongoing.
Many parts of Davao Oriental province were flooded due to continuous rains since January 16 from the shear line.
Several roads were inaccessible, especially in remote areas, due to landslides and damaged bridges.