Duterte urges to stop N. Vizcaya destruction

July 7, 2019 Headlines

Duterte could be the last say in stopping the alleged destruction of Nueva Vizcaya. President Duterte and the government should stop this “monster” from further ravaging Nueva Vizcaya, including the indigenous Ifugao and Ilongot people living in Kasibu, said the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights (TFIP) supporting the indigenous peoples in Didipio and other parts of Nueva Vizcaya in calling for the stoppage of the operations of Oceana Gold.
Australian-Canadian firm OceanaGold’s financial and technical assistance agreement (FTAA) contract with the government has expired on June 20.
Its underground Didipio Gold and Copper Mine (Didipio mine) started open-pit commercial production in 2013. Nueva Vizcaya Governor Carlos Padilla has also issued an order for its stoppage and personally led the provincial government in issuing the cease and desist order the other week.
An FTAA is a license agreement issued to a multinational company that will share technology and resources to explore and extract minerals in the Philippines.
Anti-mining groups including the TFIP have been deploring Oceana Gold’s mine operations due to alleged “severe environmental damages and human rights violations it has committed”. More than a decade of destructive mining has damaged the ecosystem and indigenous peoples’ livelihoods, they said, citing further, “numerous violations of indigenous peoples’ rights occurred during their active operations such as forced evictions and burning of homes of indigenous and peasant families from 2008 to 2009.”
“Violations”
In a study by American, Canadian and Filipino researchers led by Catherine Coumans, John Cavanagh, Rico La Vina, Robin Broad on October 29, 2018, found a number of instances where OceanaGold has not adhered to its commitments under its mining permit and various Philippine laws and regulations including ample documentation of the detrimental impacts of the firm’s mine on water, forests, land, indigenous peoples, human rights, biodiversity, and workers rights.
They also found out that Nueva Vizcaya’s agriculture – one of Luzon’s most bountiful sources of fruits and vegetables – is “threatened by adverse environmental impacts of the mine”.
Elevated levels of copper, lead, manganese, cadmium, sulfates, iron, arsenic, and selenium were also found in rivers and streams around the mine, potentially decreasing agricultural yields and impacting fish in the surrounding waterways, they said in their report.
The researchers have visited the Didipio mine on fact-finding missions four times since 2013 and accordingly have studied numerous reports and other fact-finding missions on OceanaGold’s record in the Philippines.
“We have carefully reviewed the multitude of complaints about the mine from the local community and provincial authorities dating back to when construction began.
This report lays out the results of our investigation, including our finding of numerous violations by OceanaGold of its FTAA and of national and provincial laws and decrees,” they explained.
“We conclude that this mine has significant negative impacts on water, forests, land, indigenous peoples, human rights, biodiversity, and workers rights.”
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau however have virtually permitted OceanaGold’s life pending
the renewal of its FTAA.
OceanaGold’s FTAA 1 now only covers 10,266 hectares, including the currently operating mine in a 925-hectare area in Barangay Didipio in the mineral-rich upland town of Kasibu.
Though Gov. Padilla considers MGB’s pronouncement as mere opinion and not a confirmation allowing the resumption of the company’s operations. “[I]n the absence of an effective Agreement renewing the FTAA, all rights and interests vested to OceanaGold by virtue of the Agreement are terminated effective midnight of June 20, 2019,” Padilla’s order stated.
The governor’s order has also directed the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Penro), Philippine National Police (PNP), Kasibu Municipal and Didipio Barangay Local Governments to enjoin and restrain any operations of OceanaGold.
“VillagersDivide”
Villagers in Didipio and in communities surrounding the mining area were urged to maintain camaraderie despite differences that may have developed because of the stance of the provincial government against the mining firm and the MGB.
More residents have become dependent on the mining operation for their livelihood and are instead pushing for the renewal of the firm’s FTAA. “We may have been divided because of the mining project, but please let us maintain peace and harmony in our communities and let us not allow mining issues to destroy our culture and unity,” Gov. Padilla however said.
Legal experts in the mining industry also claim that the actions made by the local government unit to stop OGPI’s operations may not have legal effect.
They said the local government may not be authorized to do so as it is the Office of the President that has the final say on the continuance or stoppage of OceanaGold’s operation.
“The provincial government may have crossed its boundaries by claiming the authority which only belongs to the President,” legal experts explained.
The provincial board in a special session last week has also declared all mining activities in Barangay Didipio as “illegal.” The provincial board has also urged Padilla to undertake all necessary and legal actions to protect the interest of the state especially the Novo Vizcayanos.
Also in a separate resolution, the board has urged Kasibu town officials to cause the cancellation of OceanaGold’s mayor’s permit in Didipio due to OceanaGold’s FTAA expiration.
The ball now lies in the hands of Pres. Duterte, the TFIP said. It is time that he proves his word that he is against open-pit mining, it urged.
 
Ace Alegre/ABN