Palawan: RP's last ecological frontier or mining frontier?

[GLT]

Palawan: RP's last ecological frontier or mining frontier?

By Caroline J. Howard, ABS-CBN News Channel | 09/23/2008 2:34 AM

The mining industry is booming. And perhaps never more than today,
mainly due to the Philippine government's openness to mining
investments in the country both as a mode of development and as an
important source of revenue.

Mining contributions to the national coffers have been steadily
growing in recent years, bringing in close to 2% annually to the
national economy. Figures from the National Statistical Coordinating
Board show, revenue from mining operations rose from an estimated
P46.3 billion or 0.9% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2005, to P59.6
billion or 1% in 2006, ballooning to P90.4B or 1.4% last year.

In 2007, three large-scale mining companies in southern Palawan paid
substantial taxes and opened hundreds of jobs through mining
operations. According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 4 or
the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Romblon and
Palawan) Region, Berong Nickel Corporation paid P171.4 million in
taxes, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation, P202 million, and Rio Tuba Nickel
P1.16 billion, employing 838, 3,132, and 400 people, respectively.

Despite the mining industry's potential contribution to economic and
social development, critics in Palawan insist, mining activities also
pose a challenge to the environmental future of the province.

Atty. Gerthie Mayo-Anda, assistant executive director or the
Environmental Legal Assistance Center, says mining applications are
now breaking into Palawan at a disturbing pace. "The threat of mining
is real. It's not just imminent; it's there," she says. "There are 16
mining permits issued to various corporations in the province mainly
in southern Palawan."

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn agrees. "You'll be surprised
with the number of mining claims in the province. There's a mining
application for nearly every square meter here. There's an application
to mine for marble even in the Underground River."

But the Mines and Geoscience Bureau in Region 4-B insists, protected
areas like the Underground River are off limits to mining. "We are not
opening mining in the area nor are we going to accept applications
over protected areas," says MGB-Region 4-B Regional Director, Roland
De Jesus.

The government bureau argues, the country's Mining Law has
strengthened environmental and social aspects of mining operations,
requiring them to put up a socio-environmental management fund to help
assist communities and recommission areas approved for mining. De
Jesus insists, this should be reason for critics to give the mining
act a chance. "This is a newly implemented law. We're trying to
improve monitoring system. Done responsibly, mining operations would
outweigh the impact raised by various sectors."

Responsible mining possible?

Nonetheless, the spate of mining operations and applications have
sounded-off alarm bells for environmental advocates in Palawan who
have been campaigning to help it live up to its name as the country's
last ecological frontier.

"We don't believe that responsible mining is possible in the
Philippines because we have a weak institution in place," says Ma.
Cleofe Pablo-Bernardino, Executive Director for Palawan NGO Network
Incorporated. "The DENR can't do its work properly. Officials can't do
their work properly."

As far as Mayor Hagedorn knows, mining operations in Palawan have only
ended in environmental destruction. "If you can visit the mining pit
in Sta. Lourdes, the company left mine tailings in Honda Bay and left
without fixing the roads," Hagedorn laments.

The threat of mining

Palawan boasts of having two World Heritage sites: the Tubbataha Reef
and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. It has the
most number of protected areas in the country, mangrove forests and
coral reefs teeming with life.

"Palawan is such a hotspot," says Aldrin Mallari, Country Director of
Flora and Fauna International. "It has the biggest number of
threatened species in the world. The Peacock Pheasant in the
Philippines is a lowland specialist and it's only found in Palawan.
Most species in the Philippines are threatened to extinction because
of massive habitat change and habitat loss."

While lush, studies show, Palawan's forests are also vulnerable to
erosion due to the island province's thin top soil, what environmental
advocates fear will only make Palawan more at risk to the impact of
mining and logging operations.

"The problem is massive deforestation and conversion of habitats,"
says Mallari. "That includes government's drive to revitalize mining
at all costs. In Palawan, the targets of mining sites are key
biodiversity sites. So, in effect, the Philippines being a signatory
to the Convention on Global Biodiversity, we are violating that
convention because it's mining over our commitment to biodiversity."

Atty. Mayo-Anda says, Palawan is fortunate to have a special law, The
Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) or Republic Act 7911, which serves
as a framework to guide environmentally-sound development in the
province. "Section 9 of that law provides that all types of natural
forest are supposed to be core zones or areas of maximum protection."

She adds, after threats to the forest were identified, counting in
logging, mining, slash and burn, quarrying, a zonification scheme was
put in place, dividing areas into specific management uses. Sadly,
this zonification is not solidly in place.

"Not all government units acknowledge that forests are core zones, so
natural forests are the subject of mining operations and opened for
mining," Atty Mayo-Anda says. "Coordinated efforts and vigilance are
needed to make sure the S.E.P. provisions are implemented.

Puerto Princesa has further backed up this mechanism with a resolution
for a mining moratorium, an expression of political will. "We can't
supercede the national law," says Mayor Hagedorn. "We just passed a
resolution that says we won't endorse mining operations."

He admits, he fears the time when other localities will have used up
Palawan's resources, it may turn to Puerto Princesa for its needs. He,
however, finds hope in the fact that Puerto Princesa locals have
become aware of the impact of destructive development and know the
value of preserving the island province.

Critics urge shift

Today, environmental advocates hope, authorities take efforts to keep
Palawan out of the reach of mining, explore other avenues for
development, rethink the bid to explore mining opportunities in the
province, and work with all stakeholders to help secure Palawan's
ecological future.

"Palawan has 750,000 people but 1.5 million hectares of land," says
Lawrence Padilla, Executive Director for the Palawan Center for
Appropriate Rural Technology. "That's more than enough land for
agriculture. If Palawan's forests are protected, agriculture and
tourism will thrive, and that will be enough for the province to
grow."

Dr. Gerry Ortega of Bayani Juan, ABS-CBN Foundation appeals to
government to review its priorities and options for development.
"Puerto Princesa is still the last ecological frontier but the entire
province of Palawan is being threatened by mining companies which
threaten the sustainability of this province. So we hope our policy
makers reconsider that decision to open Palawan as a mining frontier
instead of as an ecological frontier."

as of 09/23/2008 9:25 AM