SP endorses small-scale mining operations in Samar island-town

Taking no fear that it might create another tension here as anti-mining and logging advocates who showed a “strong avalanche of force” during their last year’s historic island-wide anti-mining caravan that prompted the government to upheld the earlier mining applicants, the provincial board still endorsed the mining operations here.

But in a press conference held after their regular session on Tuesday, December 6, the SP members led by Vice-Governor Jesus B. Redaja explained to the public through the tri-media here about their reasons why they approved the said mining operations.

“There was no single reason for us not to approve the request (for mining) in this island,” says VG Redaja.

The Documents

According to VG Redaja, the request of a certain Serafia Cobarubias to operate a small-scale mining in Daram, Samar, particularly in the villages of Locob-lokob, Iquiran and Casaganay was supported with all necessary documents being required by law.

The second highest official of the province cited these documents as the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), barangay and municipal ordinances and resolutions, and the endorsement coming from the provincial environment officer of Samar.

“The province has even accepted the extraction fees paid by Cobarubias,” VG Redaja said explaining that before they move for the approval, public safety and public consultations to the affected villages were held.

Atty. Rogelio T. Casurao, chairman of the SP Committee on Laws and Legal Matters said members of his committees and the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chaired by Susano Salurio “collectively agreed” to give due course to the application considering some existing national laws and jurisprudence.

“(And) in view of the dictum of the Supreme Court which has sustained the legality of mining operation subject to the regulatory powers of the state… there seems to be no legal obstacle and that the documentation required are complete, and is duly supported by Barangay resolutions, we (committees members) favorably approved the application,” Casurao said.

As this developed, the resolution authorizing Caborubias, a native of Gandara Samar, to operate a small-scale mining of manganese in three Daram villages subject to the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1121 and 1586, DENR Administrative Order 2003-30 and other existing laws on the matter, was approved.

Exclusion from the 50-year moratorium

To recall, these SP members fought intensely against the Bauxite Resources Inc. (BRI) when the latter attempted to conduct mining operations in the towns of San Jorge, Gandara, Matuguinao and San Jose de Buan, all in Samar, early last year.

They even wrote the DENR central office to cancel the permit issued by the DENR regional office attaching the 50-year mining moratorium, Presidential Proclamation 442 declaring the 333,300 hectares in Samar as Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), and the resolution coming from the Regional Development Council in Eastern Visayas.

“This island town of Daram is not included in the list of towns covered by their ordinance imposing a 50-year mining moratorium a year ago. In fact, there were no river here that can be possibly affected,” SP Member Salurio stressed.

In the 50-year mining moratorium, “it is clear there that we do not allow the large-scale mining in most Samar towns, because the 25 major river systems that provide clean water to 1.5 million island residents can be affected,” Salurio said.

It was learned that government officials here replicated in three Samar provinces and 35 towns, and with about 319 upland barangays the 50-year mining moratorium, as influenced by church leaders and environmentalists here.

Picking it out like money

SP Majority Floor Leader Antonio Bolastig, who, along with the VG Redaja and other SPs, visited the area, informed that the residents of these towns are seemed lucky for their God given resources as anyone can pick manganese as he can and sell it.

“It’s everywhere in the villages, we arrived there and saw villagers carrying sacks of manganese to their respective homes,” Bolastig narrated.

He added: “Actually, its not like mining anymore, they are like marketing, because it’s no need for them to dig, dynamite or process anymore. They’re picking it out like money.”

It was learned that any residents could go to the area, gather manganese and sell the same to the one who asked application to the SP Samar. Cobarubias’s firm was there to help and assist, buy the manganese directly from the residents.

The SP officials estimated that each resident would earn as high as P300-500 per day. They also dismissed the apprehension of some observers that residents might be affected in their health saying, “it has no foul odor, and is one of the non-radioactive mineral.”