ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZamboangaJournal) A group of tribespeople in the southern Philippines has asked the government to look into the mining operation of a Canadian company in Zamboanga del Norte province, expressing fears that it could destroy their ancestral lands.
Opponents of the mining venture complained that TVI Resource Development Phils., Inc. was operating on ancestral lands in Siocon town that were considered sacred by Subanon tribesmen.
TVI started its mining operations in 2004, nearly a decade after it obtained its Mineral Production Sharing Agreement with the government in 1996.
It is currently into gold and silver mining and plans to extract copper and zinc very soon.
Some Subanon people said the mining operation would destroy Mt. Canatuan, home to a huge population of the indigenous tribe in the province on the northern part of the Zamboanga Peninsula.
During a forum held in Zamboanga City on Dec. 20, the influential Silsilah Dialogue Movement also expressed concern that TVI's open pit mining method has degraded the area and forced many people out of their homes.
Silsilah said fumes from the mining operation and mine tailings, or what is left after minerals are extracted from the ore, are polluting the air and rivers with hazardous chemicals.
Moreover, opponents were being harassed by militias employed by TVI and threatened with lawsuits, said the group.
The Silsilah Dialogue Movement is active in promoting understanding and better relations between Muslims, Christians and other religions, and the indigenous peoples in the southern Philippines.
The peace movement, founded in 1974 by Italian missionary Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, said it is supporting the efforts of the people of Siocon to lawfully defend their rights to keep their homes and safeguard their health.
"We, in Silsilah Dialogue Movement, are in solidarity with the people of Siocon in their efforts to keep their homes, safeguard their health and safety, and to have a say in decisions that affect them directly.
"We are also in solidarity with their grave concerns and the generations to come," D'Ambra said in a statement.
To allay fears of its operations, TVI invited the Subanon people, lawmakers and NGO representatives to visit the mine site and see for themselves the company's "pro-environment and sustainable development and economic initiatives."
"We really understand the concerns raised by our various stakeholders vis-a-vis the impact of our operations on the environment and that is why we strive hard to be an industry leader by taking the best approach to environmental management," said TVI President Eugene Mateo.
Mateo said the company spent a total of 130 million pesos (about $2.4 million) since 2004 for its environmental management and protection initiatives, and it is allocating P80 million ($1.48 million) more for next year.
"And there is a possibility to increase this to P200 million ($3.7 million)," he said.
TVI noted that it had entered into a production sharing agreement with the government even before the Subanon people obtained their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) under the Indigenous People's Rights Act in 2003.
But despite the precedence of its mining rights over the domain claims, TVI said it still secured community endorsement from the Siocon Subano Association, Inc., (SSAI), the largest group of indigenous people in Zamboanga del Norte.
The peace movement, founded in 1974 by Italian missionary Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, said it is supporting the efforts of the people of Siocon to lawfully defend their rights to keep their homes and safeguard their health.
"We, in Silsilah Dialogue Movement, are in solidarity with the people of Siocon in their efforts to keep their homes, safeguard their health and safety, and to have a say in decisions that affect them directly.
"We are also in solidarity with their grave concerns and the generations to come," D'Ambra said in a statement.
To allay fears of its operations, TVI invited the Subanon people, lawmakers and NGO representatives to visit the mine site and see for themselves the company's "pro-environment and sustainable development and economic initiatives."
"We really understand the concerns raised by our various stakeholders vis-a-vis the impact of our operations on the environment and that is why we strive hard to be an industry leader by taking the best approach to environmental management," said TVI President Eugene Mateo.
Mateo said the company spent a total of 130 million pesos (about $2.4 million) since 2004 for its environmental management and protection initiatives, and it is allocating P80 million ($1.48 million) more for next year. "And there is a possibility to increase this to P200 million ($3.7 million)," he said.
TVI noted that it had entered into a production sharing agreement with the government even before the Subanon people obtained their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) under the Indigenous People's Rights Act in 2003.
But despite the precedence of its mining rights over the domain claims, TVI said it still secured community endorsement from the Siocon Subano Association, Inc., (SSAI), the largest group of indigenous people in Zamboanga del Norte.
SSAI is recognized by the National Commission on Indigenous People as the legal representative of Canatuan CADT holders. TVI signed a memorandum of understanding with the SSAI in October 2001 to develop their ancestral domain as a gesture of good faith.
TVI claimed to have the support of the majority in Canatuan, which has a population of several thousands.
Subanon lawyer Pablo Bernardo, a legal counsel for the SSAI, said the locals benefit from TVI employment and other community services that included livelihood, infrastructure and sustainable economic development.
TVI has spent millions of pesos in community projects in Siocon, that included schools, clinics and bridges, to benefit the tribes people, and said it is putting more to help fund humanitarian and other development programs in the town.
TVI currently employs more than 650 mostly Subanon tribesmen, plus several hundreds more in other indirect services.
The company strongly denied all the allegations of environmental destruction, saying it was one with Silsilah and the people of Siocon in their desire to protect the environment.
"Our hopes and aspirations intertwine with theirs. We welcome any proposal to expand the membership of a multi-monitoring team to include the representatives of the church, farmers' and fishermen groups, as well as Subanons.
"Our doors are open so that people will see their fears are unfounded. We hope their visit to our mine site will pave the way for a continuous and productive dialogue," Mateo said.
Mindanao Development Council chair Jesus Dureza, who is also President Arroyo's adviser for Mindanao, inspected the mine site in Siocon last month and said he was surprised that the project was not found to be destructive.
"Everything is in order, the milling area is clean, and we are really surprised by the strict implementation of safety and the TVI's protection of the environment," Dureza said then.
Earlier this year, President Arroyo thanked Clifford James, TVI's chief executive officer, for the company's long-standing commitment to the Philippines.
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