[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Philippine Catholic bishops urge Arroyo to cancel all mining concessions

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Philippine Catholic bishops urge Arroyo to cancel all mining concessions


18:13 2006-01-29
Influential Catholic bishops on Sunday urged Philippine President Gloria 
Macapagal Arroyo to repeal a 1995 act that liberalized the mining industry and 
cancel all concessions, warning of massive environmental damage and the loss of 
mining resources to giant foreign companies. 

Arroyo has vigorously encouraged foreign mining corporations to invest in the 
country to bolster the ailing economy and create jobs in a politically 
difficult time. She has been hounded since last year by a debilitating crisis 
over corruption and vote-rigging allegations. 

The 120-member Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued a 
statement during their three-day annual retreat in Manila expressing concern 
over the presence of foreign mining companies. 

The 1995 Philippine Mining Act allows foreign companies to explore and develop 
mining sites in partnership with the government. 

Supporting the call of several non-governmental groups including tribal 
communities, the bishops asked Arroyo to stop 24 large-scale government mining 
projects, citing six gold and copper mining companies. 

"The promised economic benefits of mining by these transnational corporations 
are outweighed by the dislocation of communities especially among our 
indigenous brothers and sisters, the risks to health and livelihood, and 
massive environmental damage," the bishops said in the statement. 

"Our experiences of environmental tragedies and incidents with the mining 
transnational corporations belie all assurances of sustainable and responsible 
mining that the Arroyo administration is claiming," they said. 

Mining areas remain among the country's poorest regions, they said. 

Last year, Philippine mining officials ordered the suspension of a 
US$42-million flagship project funded by Australian and South Korean investors 
after cyanide-laced waste spilled and killed fish on Rapu-Rapu island, 380 
kilometers (235 miles) southeast of Manila. 

In 1996, millions of tons of mine waste from an impounding dam of the Marcopper 
Mining Corp. spilled into a river on central Marinduque island, creating an 
environmental disaster. The mine was subsequently closed by the government, AP 
reported. 
V.A.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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