๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง; ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ - ๐๐๐
In a press conference launching the alliance’s Mining Hell Week, Malou Verano of ATM Council of Leaders and Ang Aroroy ay Alagaan (4A) pointed out: “The politicians linked to the corruption in flood control projects are the same families heavily invested in mining projects that have caused flooding, environmental destruction and human rights violations in communities.”
ATM specifically cited the Romualdezes and the Villars as among those holding powerful positions who must be made accountable in the corruption scandal as well as the devastation in mining-affected communities.
“Mining has caused severe flooding yet government officials continue to profit from mining operations while robbing taxpayers of trillions and depriving them of reliable flood control infrastructures. This is grossly unjust and highly contemptible,” said Atty. Alycca Villaruel from the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC)
Verano also highlighted the floodings in Aroroy, Masbate during typhoons, which residents report were due to large-scale mining in the area. “Mining has exacerbated the impacts of these climate change disasters as our communities become submerged in floods. We also fear that the strong typhoons might cause damage to the tailings storage facilities and result in the spilling of tailings, devastating our communities and ecosystem,” Verano said.
Jorelyn Viray of LILAK (Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights) discussed the impact of mining on human rights, women and marginalized communities. “In many mining communities, residents are red-tagged, harassed and even killed with impunity. As more than 50% of mining operations are within ancestral domains, indigenous women are particularly made vulnerable as their sources of food, and livelihood have been ravaged. It is the rural and indigenous women who have to go out and find ways to make ends meet, and put food on the table. This additional burden on the rural and indigenous women is taking its toll on their physical and mental health.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Cielo Magno of Bantay-Kita, lambasted the recently-signed Mining Fiscal Regime Law pushed by former Speaker Martin Romualdez. “The concessions to mining corporations have caused the loss of potential government revenues, which could instead be used for social services. But Romualdez, acting on a clear conflict of interest, heavily favored the mining industry - of course, because it props up his business interests! Dapat hindi pinapalampas ang ganitong mga katiwalian at kasalanan sa taumbayan.”
On the other hand, Akbayan Representative Perci Cendaรฑa stressed the urgent need to enact an Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB).
"The current flawed Mining Act has to be repealed and replaced by a new law that will rationalize mining in the country and protect our natural resources and mining-affected communities," according to Rep. Cendaรฑa, one of the authors of HB 1852 which embodies the spirit of the AMMB.
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