DAVAO CITY – An environmental group has urged the government to shut down all mining operations in all identified geohazard zones in the Davao region.
A SMALL-SCALE miner at work in Pantukan, Davao de Oro. (Keith Bacongco)
Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Executive Director Mark Peñalver issued the call following the recent deadly landslide in Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro.
"In light of these terrifying facts, immediate and strong measures are required to entirely halt all mining operations in Masara and other similar critical areas," Peñalver said.
Masara, a village with more than 1,000 families, is one of the no-build zones declared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau following a deadly landslide in 2008.
Aside from Masara, many areas in the mineral-rich province were also tagged as geohazard zones based on MGB data.
The village is one of the host communities of Apex Mining Co. Inc. (AMCI).
Many of the large-scale and small-scale mining tenements that sit within the identified areas were tagged as highly susceptible to rain-induced landslides, MGB maps showed.
Over the years, some of these mining areas have been a graveyard of both miners and villagers due to deadly landslides.
Assert authority
Peñalver acknowledged that local government units have made efforts to relocate households but said it is imperative for the LGU to assert their authority in enforcing no-build zones.
Following the landslide in 2008 that left 24 people dead, the residents were relocated to the nearby village of Kinuban in Maco.
However, some of them gradually returned to Masara since most of them depend on mining for living, according to local government officials.
Peñalver said suggested to prohibit the expansion of the mining facilities and tenements to protect the welfare of the inhabitants and effectively reduce possible dangers.
“They cannot claim ignorance about the very critical nature of the area as evidenced by their own reports and the declaration of the MGB," the environmental lawyer said, referring to the Report on Economic Assessment and Ore Reserve Estimation of Maco Epithermal Gold Deposits commissioned by AMCI. The report is posted on the mining firm's website.
Peñalver criticized the mining firm, saying that AMCI exemplifies a mining corporation that may seem to adhere to regulations on documents but falls short in actual implementation.
A LANDSLIDE-hit area in Davao de Oro. (Davao de Oro PIO)
He cited Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 2000-98 which mandates mining companies to establish an emergency response readiness program to address any "reasonably foreseeable industrial and natural disasters."
"Assuming that they do have such systems implemented, the recent landslide should have been prevented. However, they disregarded these regulations and constructed their bus terminal in an area that was officially designated as a no-build zone."
The landslide occurred within the mining tenement of AMCI as confirmed by Teresa Pacis, assistant vice president for corporate affairs and communication. However, she clarified that the landslide site is outside of its active mining site.
Due to the deadly landslide, several lawmakers have filed a resolution seeking an inquiry to determine who is liable for the incident. Several green groups, including IDIS, had earlier said that local government officials and the mining firm may be liable in the incident.
IDIS called for increased collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and local communities to develop and implement robust environmental management plans that prioritize the protection of biodiversity, water resources, and human well-being in mining-affected areas.
"What mining companies fail to understand is no amount of money will ever compensate for the loss of life or the irreversible damage to the environment,” Peñalver said.