BENGUET CORP. TO FUND BRIDGE AT SITIO LUNETA, ITOGON

August 8, 2022 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY- The Benguet Corporation, mindful of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the general welfare and general safety of the more than 5,000 residents , pocket miners and their families in Sitio Luneta, Loacan-Antamok, Itogon , said funds are available for the immediate construction of a bridge near the open pit area.

In an exclusive interview on Wednesday (Aug 3), lawyer Froilan Roger Lawilao , BC Administration Department
Manager, assured that there is an existing funds for the construction of a one-lane concrete bridge with an
estimated length of 400 meters. “It is due for implementation, “ Lawilao stressed.

The BC official said, funding is sourced from the company’s Care and Maintenance budget, however the latter did not indicate the specific amount to be used for the said bridge. Reports said that Benguet Corp. revenues raked more than doubled to P3.8 billion in 2021 from P1.6 billion previously while operating income quadrupled to P1.6 billion from P340 million despite restrictive quarantine and strict government health protocol policies ,and also due to strong metal prices and favorable market conditions amid the pandemic.

Benguet Corp. acknowledged the fact that residents of Sitio Luneta needs the bridge so that they will not be isolated when a portion of the area (open pit) gets flooded from tee cascading waters coming from up stream of Antamok River, especially during rainy season. When constructed, the bridge will give comfort to the residents, easy transport of food supplies and patients with emergency cases. And it will safeguard everyone especially school children against dangers in crossing the open pit area.

Lawilao clarified that the funds have been existing for years. He explained that the construction of the bridge shall
have to be undertaken by the community purposely to generate local employment. The BC official added that
the project was approved by the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC) after a series of works by the so-called BC-Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT), composed of representatives from the private mining firm, community, local government unit (LGU) and non-government organization (NGO), among others.

Lawilao further said, the area is a patented mining claim of BC, mining operation was suspended/abandoned due
low grade of metals that were being mined, and also in the late 90s , price of metals were low. Currently BC is awaiting the approved final mine decommissioning and rehabilitation –its Antamok open pit.

About the appeal of the same community and LMA regarding the repair or construction of dike, retaining walls along the Antamok River banks, especially areas just few inches away from houses,Lawilao said they have yet to make an assessment following government rules and regulations. Projects like for the repair and construction of facilities
shall again undergo the same process in the BC-Multipartite Monitoring Committee and to be approved by the MRFC.

In a separate interview over the phone, John Latongan, president of Luneta Miners Association (LMA), who is a former board of director of the Benguet Federation of Small-Scale Miners, Inc. (BFSSM), said he welcomed
this development as he expressed his gratitude to BC in behalf of the residents in their community, pocket miners
and their respective families living in the mining area. “ We are thankful to the company (BC) for addressing
our concern- the construction of a bridge . This has been our clamor for years,” Latongan said in the vernacular.
“It’s true for a fact that BC has been extending assistance to us in many ways, and that we are grateful, which include
social and environmental projects, providing us seedlings in our regular tree planting efforts-under the reforestation program of BC, “ Latongan added. “Social responsibility and environmental protection are among the core values of
Luneta Miners Association (LMA),”Latongan stressed “Dakkel iti panagyamam mi ti Benguet Corp., “Latongan said, adding ever since their elders were employed in the company during its early years of operation.

He further said the company has given them – people of their community great opportunities-education, economic and living conditions improved.

Primo Agatep/ABN