Catanduanes Forum

September 24,2009
from: Catanduanes Tribune
http://www.catanduanestribune.com/Headline/Detail.aspx?newsID=5984

Anti-mining groups achieved a partial victory at the Senate hearing in Legaspi City last week, with Monte Oro Resource & Energy Inc. (MOREI) declaring that it would not pursue the planned coal mining operation in Catanduanes "if the people do not want it."

Bishop Manolo A. de los Santos expressed gratitude to Monte Oro for its announcement but advised anti-mining advocates to remain vigilant as other mining companies and small scale mining permittees could try to begin extracting the island’s abundant mineral resources.

Atty. William Cabrera of the Integrated Bar of Catanduanes, who attended the hearing along with Atty. Anthony Tresvalles, warned that the Monte Oro statement could be just a delaying tactic as it tries to work out how to finally proceed with commercial mining in Catanduanes. The IBP has vowed to file charges against those involved if the planned coal mining pushes through.

Senator Jamby Madrigal, who grilled officials of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Energy (DOE) over the lack of public consultation and the alleged anomalous issuance of the Small Scale Coal Mining Permit to Policarpio Torres, vowed to dig deeper into the issue in the next hearing set in Virac soon. Torres did not appear in the hearing despite an official invitation.

"We will not push through with the project if you don’t want it," Jose Raymond Apostol, a geologist working as an advisoer for Monte Oro chief executive officer Walter Brown, said during the hearing that took nearly three hours to finish at the Pepperland Hotel.

He clarified that Monte Oro did not in any way damage the island of Catanduanes and completed the exploration work according to industry standards and conditions of the permit and Certificate of Non-Coverage, with no marks left and no trees cut. "Wala pa naman kaming namina kahit isang balde, wala pang nasirang kagubatan," the geologist said in an interview earlier.

Disputing the allegation that no consultation was done with local authorities, he disclosed that in 2005, after the Coal Exploration Contract was awarded to Monte Oro, the firm’s representatives together with DOE Undesecretary Balce, made a presentation on the proposed exploration to the governor, municipal mayors and other officials to inform them of the mining company’s plans. The provincial chief executive at the time was Leandro B. Verceles, Jr.

In his opening statement, Apostol surprised the audience when he said that Monte Oro does know know Torres, who under the DOE permit is obligated to sell all the 7,333 metric tons of coal he would extract yearly for five years from Campo Ermitaño in barangay San Miguel, Panganiban to Monte Oro.

"We have not endorsed any mining on our behalf," he said, referring to Torres.

At the same hearing which was attended by former Sen. Francisco Tatad, DOE’s Alejandro Oanes, officer –in-charge of the Geothermal and Coal Resources Development Division, revealed that while several mining firms expressed interest in exploring the 8,000 hectares of potential coal areas in Catanduanes bid out by the DOE last June 2009, there were no takers when the bidding was concluded. They backed out at the last minute, Oca said as he refused to name the firms which submitted applications to explore the Catanduanes block.

Monte Oro exploration manager Jose dela Concha also bared that while coal in Catanduanes is of good quality, the firm does not have any conclusions yet as to whether it is in commercial quantities. He said that of the 7,000 hectares covered by the contract, less than 10 percent will remain for further study once analysis of the coal field potential is done,

According to a DOE map which was not presented during the hearing, the minable coal reserves are in Camp Ermitaño in Panganiban, Malabog-Obi in Caramoran, and Carbon Hill in San Andres.

Meanwhile, Tatad, who said he was one of the main sponsors of the Mining Act of 1995, expressed full support to the stand of the Roman Catholic Church. He admitted that the law was passed while the industry was in distress with thousands unemployed. Now that it has proven successful, he said, its implementation has given rise to certain problems which should impel the Senate and the government to reconsider its current mining policies.

Monte Oro’s declaration came after anti-mining groups, including the office of Gov. Joseph C. Cua and Rep. Joseph A. Santiago, read their respective statements on the matter. Among those who expressed their opposition to large-scale mining in Catanduanes were the Diocese of Virac, Katandungan Kontra Mina, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Catanduanes Chapter, Bagamanoc Rural Waterworks and Sanitation Association, the municipalities of Caramoran and Panganiban, Asosasyon ng para-Bandala sa Catanduanes (ABACA) and Pangataman-Bicol. The groups also submitted to Sen. Madrigal various resolutions and position papers made by other municipalities and non-government organizations in the province and in Metro Manila.

Engr. Gabriel Pedrigon of Pangatamanan-Bicol, who presented a lengthy discussion of the effects of mining on Rapu-rapu island, expressed hope that local leaders in Catanduanes would not betray their people as what happened on the island where the municipal council turned around and endorsed the Lafayette mining project after being promised P5-million in annual real property taxes.

"I hope that Catanduanes would remain in its natural state, to be loved by the people who live there and not by those who want to claim its riches," Sen. Madrigal said in conclusion as she thanked all those who attended the hearing