PCIJ WebAlert #32.2008

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W H A T ' S N E W @ www.pcij.org
3.November.2008


---------------[ Our Latest Report )------

12 YEARS AFTER MINING DISASTER
Chronic Illnesses on the Rise in Marcopper Towns
by Karol Anne M. Ilagan

TWELVE years after a major mining catastrophe there, toxic mine wastes
still choke key waterways in Marinduque. The threat of more mine
tailings pouring into Boac and Mogpog rivers and Calancan Bay also
remains, as abandoned mine structures are in need of repairs. Despite
these, there is renewed talk of opening up the province to mining
again, upsetting many locals and concerned organizations.

This two-part investigative report revisits the site of what is still
regarded as the country’s worst mining disaster, along with two other
towns that had been most affected by the activities of the Marcopper
Mining Corporation. The series details the health hazards posed by the
abandoned mine wastes, and notes the lack of health personnel who
could respond to the rising health needs of the affected communities.
Already, medical experts have observed an increase in cases of
diabetes, goiter, renal disease, spontaneous abortion, and even cancer
in at least three towns in Marinduque.

With the Arroyo government’s aggressive marketing of the Philippines
as a mining country, many fear that the Marinduque experience may
serve as a standard in dealing with future mining disasters — with no
one behind bars, the mess left behind, and the community virtually
abandoned to fend on its own.

Read on at pcij.org
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