Farms, not mines, says 'green' priest

[GLT]

Farms, not mines, says 'green' priest

by Niña Corpuz, ABS-CBN News
03/06/2012

MANILA, Philippines - The government should focus on agriculture
instead of mining, a Catholic Church official said Tuesday.

Fr. Benny Tuazon, Archdiocese of Manila executive director for
ecology, said the country's farmers have been suffering for years
since the Philippines became a member of World Trade Organization
(WTO) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

He said that as a result of the WTO and GATT, local produce became
more expensive than imported produce.

Farmers became poorer and helpless against agriculture products
entering the country without taxes, Tuazon added.

"If there is one thing more than mining that can propel our country to
progress, it's agriculture. Why? Because we have the best farmers, the
best climate, best soil and we have water, importante po ito," he
said.

"We have water, Singapore has no water. If only the government focuses
on agriculture, tayo mismo magiging progressive because we have all
the resources," Tuazon said.

No to total mining ban

Meanwhile, Alyansa Tigil Mina's national coordinator, Jaybee
Garganera, said their group is not seeking a total ban in mining.

"Maski kami sa Tigil Mina, hindi kami naniniwala na total ban ang
sagot dahil may papel pa rin ang mineral sa economic growth natin,"
Garganera explained. "Ang kinukuwestyon lang ho natin ay yung policy
na minana ng administration na ito dun sa nakaraang administrasyon na
bukas ang buong Pilipinas sa pagmimina."

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines also reiterated
its belief that mining breeds poverty.

"Meron kang resources pero para kang isinumpa dahil sa iyong
napakaraming kayamanan at karanasan ito sa ibat ibang panig ng mundo,
sa maraming sitwasyon hindi nakatulong at di nakabuti ang pagkakaroon
ng maraming mineral," said Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of
the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace.

"Kahit sa pag-aaral ng World Bank, binalik-tanaw nila yung mga
karanasan ng ibat ibang bansa at sinasabi nila dun na di talaga
nakapag angat sa antas ng kahirapan yung pagmimina kundi
nakapagpalubha ng kahirapan at hindi ito maitatanggi dahil mismong
World Bank ang gumawa ng pag aaral" Gariguez said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/03/06/12/farms-not-mines-says-green-priest