TVI Holds Medical Mission In Remote Zambo Town

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE (Mindanao Examiner / 12 Mar) – Hundreds of mostly poor villagers benefited from a medical mission by the Canadian mining firm, TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc. (TVIRD), in a remote town of Jose Dalman in Zamboanga del Norte province in the southern Philippines.

The TVIRD donated medicines to poor families during the community outreach mission in the town, where it plans to conduct mining exploration.

The medical mission was part of TVIRD’s social program in the province, where it operates a gold-copper mine. TVIRD has been seeking approval from the locals to conduct exploration in Jose Dalman.

But though the early exploration processes are preliminary and with no promise whatsoever of a future mine, mining firms still require community approval to conduct exploration under modern mining practices and the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

Members of the Federated Parents Teachers and Community Association (FPTCA) of Ponot District in the town praised the medical mission.

Lyan Rose Inoferio, FPTCA vice president, said: The TVIRD has remained true to its slogan “This Mine is Yours” because the company has consistently shown that it cares for people in communities where it operates.”

Inoferio was all praise for TVIRD for its participation in her organization’s project. As Ponot residents, mostly students, lined up for free medical check up and medicines, Inoferio couldn’t help but express her hopes that TVIRD will continue to share the benefits of mining exploration and development with the citizens of Jose Dalman.

She said she looks forward to seeing a mining operation that will care not only for profits, but also for the betterment of the quality of life of the people and for the protection of the environment.

TVIRD President Eugene Mateo said the medical mission was a success. “It is a combination of responsibility and compassion. We are entering the municipality with the hope of continuing exploration, which will have an impact on the people and the economy.”

“So it’s our responsibility to bring benefits to the people as well, with some early programs. After all, we have no assurance at this stage that we will find enough minerals to justify a continuing presence bringing the benefits of full scale mining later on,” he said.

Despite being uncertain yet on its prospects in the village of Tamarok in Jose Dalman town, TVIRD through its Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO) has been initiating community programs in the area to help the locals.

TVI said a number of Subanon indigenous people are now employed by CReDO and are assisting in its social projects.

TVIRD said it is still in the initial phases of exploration work in Tamarok. In a recent announcement by firm’s Canadian affiliate, TVI Pacific Inc, reconnaissance surveys involving semi-detailed geological mapping and sampling over portions of TVIRD’s tenement applications in Tamarok and nearby Tapisa indicate that both properties have the potential to host copper-gold porphyry deposits.

TVI Pacific CEO Cliff James cautioned, however, that while the company is encouraged with these developments, the existing results from the exploration program are preliminary – surface results only – and that follow up drilling is necessary to enable the Company to assess the continuity of the mineralization.

TVIRD’s presence in the area has perked up small businesses like “sari-sari” (variety) stores and “habal-habal” (motorcycles for ferrying passengers).

Last year, TVIRD sponsored a two-day celebration of “Araw ng Tamarok” (Tamarok Day), the first for this village since its creation in 1984. And for 22 years, village officials held back their desire for such a celebration primarily due to unavailability of funds.

For Tamarok village chieftain Lorido Temonio and Timuay Maximo Tigon the presence of TVIRD in their area would definitely help in the development of their place as well as the municipality itself and in its economic growth.

The community has expressed support for a full-blown mining operation in Tamarok, having witnessed first hand the responsible mining practices of TVIRD during a tour of its Canatuan Project. (With a report from Mindanao Examiner)