ILIGAN CITY, Philippines - The Mindanao-Bishops and Priests Congress reiterated their opposition to mining in the Philippines as they reaffirmed their previous stand for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995.
In a phone interview with CBCPNews, Iligan Chancery Secretary Sr. Marilyn Montalla, MSOLTC said the Mindanao Bishops and Clergy has come up with their statement on the issue of Mining in the latest 35th Diocesan Clergy of Mindanao Congress (DCM) held in Iligan City last February.
More 400 delegates representing various archdioceses, dioceses and prelatures of Mindanao signed the statement.
The joint statement disclosed: “We, the Bishops and Clergy of Mindanao collectively challenge the Philippine Government’s aggressive promotion of large scale mining as a flagship program to boost the country’s economy.”
DCM delegates added in 1998, the CBCP issued a statement of concern on the Mining Act of 1995. On January 29, 2006, the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued another statement on Mining Issues and Concerns. There have been other statements and position papers issued by regional groupings of bishops in between those two major statements of the CBCP.
The Mindanao bishops and priests insisted that they do not subscribe to the DENR’s reference to sustainable mining.
“We believe that mining can never be sustainable. It is a highly extractive industry and remnants of past mining projects and abandoned mines which can be found in many parts of the country can speak for itself,” the delegates stressed.
The Mindanao prelates and clerics added there have been a number of mine-related tragedies and disasters since the passage of the Mining Act of 1995. The collapse of the tailings dam of Marcopper Mining Ltd spilling millions of tons of toxic waste into the island’s river and sea haunts residents to this day.
DCM delegates further said the series of human rights abuses and displacement of Indigenous peoples in Canatuan. Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, the site of a gold mine operation of TVI Resource Development and the mine spills by Lafayette Philippines, Inc. in Rapu-Rapu, Albay and its two subsidiaries Rapu-Rapu Processing, are just few examples of how the mining industry destroy God’s creation.
The prelates and priests clarified that they understand the government’s desire to reduce poverty but never at the expense of lives and properties of ordinary Filipinos. The delegates were unanimous in saying there are other sources of livelihood that are less destructive and far more productive than mining that the government can resort to in its effort to alleviate poverty.
They said the Philippines is basically agricultural country and have fertile lands and seas that are abundant in marine resources. Yet in spite of all these, the Philippines remains poor and the people remain deprived of food and other basic necessities.
The Mindanao bishops and priests called on the government to redirect its agenda to food security and development an agri-aqua based economy instead of the highly extractive industry like mining.
They also encouraged the church, business and other sectors to be more conscious of their respective “social responsibility” and together direct their activities towards the common good and the attainment of sustainable development.
The Mindanao prelates and clerics urged the people to support and to understand in the struggle against large-scale mining and the blatant exploitation of indigenous peoples.
“We manifest through this statement that we in Mindanao consider it our duty and responsibility to protect God’s creation as a sign of our faith and love for our creator, the Supreme being, ‘from whom all good things come from,’” the Mindanao bishop and priests concluded their statement. (Wendell Talibong)
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