By Edna A. Bagadiong
VIRAC, Catanduanes, July 16 (PIA) -- Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (advisory council) of Catanduanes province has passed, on its 26th regular session yesterday, July 15, a resolution declaring the province as a mining-free zone.
The resolution, sponsored by board member Giovanni V. Balmadrid, aims to preserve the natural resources of the province and to protect the island's ecosystem from destruction as well as from the adverse effect of mining.
The same resolution refers to the extraction of valuable materials or other geological materials from the soil and includes such mining activities as exploration, feasibility, development, utilization and processing large-scale quarry operations involving cement, raw materials, marble, granite, sand and gravel construction aggregates.
However, it excludes legal quarrying of gravel and sand for projects directly undertaken by agencies of the national government or by the provincial government provided that it is for basic services such as, but not limited to roads and bridges, school buildings, water and energy utilities and similar public works.
Any person, employee or employment agency who violates the provisions of the ordinance will be penalized with imprisonment of at least five years and must pay a fine of at least P10,000 but not more than P50,000.
Moreover, if a violator is a corporation or association, the president and the managers of said corporation or association, or its agent or representative in the Philippines, in case of a foreign corporation or association, will be held liable.
According to Balmadrid, mining must be stopped and prohibited to avoid its adverse effect to the environment which includes erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil and water.
Mining has become an alarming issue in the country when the disasters associated with it occurred in 1996 when tons of mine tailing leaked into the Boac River. In 2012, the tailing pond at Philex's operating mine Benguet leaked 20.69 million metric tons of waste to nearby water systems.
In Catanduanes, the church and other organizations have been very firm in its campaign to stop the alleged mining activities in the northern towns of Catanduanes. (MAL/EAB/PIA5, Catanduanes)
VIRAC, Catanduanes, July 16 (PIA) -- Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (advisory council) of Catanduanes province has passed, on its 26th regular session yesterday, July 15, a resolution declaring the province as a mining-free zone.
The resolution, sponsored by board member Giovanni V. Balmadrid, aims to preserve the natural resources of the province and to protect the island's ecosystem from destruction as well as from the adverse effect of mining.
The same resolution refers to the extraction of valuable materials or other geological materials from the soil and includes such mining activities as exploration, feasibility, development, utilization and processing large-scale quarry operations involving cement, raw materials, marble, granite, sand and gravel construction aggregates.
However, it excludes legal quarrying of gravel and sand for projects directly undertaken by agencies of the national government or by the provincial government provided that it is for basic services such as, but not limited to roads and bridges, school buildings, water and energy utilities and similar public works.
Any person, employee or employment agency who violates the provisions of the ordinance will be penalized with imprisonment of at least five years and must pay a fine of at least P10,000 but not more than P50,000.
Moreover, if a violator is a corporation or association, the president and the managers of said corporation or association, or its agent or representative in the Philippines, in case of a foreign corporation or association, will be held liable.
According to Balmadrid, mining must be stopped and prohibited to avoid its adverse effect to the environment which includes erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil and water.
Mining has become an alarming issue in the country when the disasters associated with it occurred in 1996 when tons of mine tailing leaked into the Boac River. In 2012, the tailing pond at Philex's operating mine Benguet leaked 20.69 million metric tons of waste to nearby water systems.
In Catanduanes, the church and other organizations have been very firm in its campaign to stop the alleged mining activities in the northern towns of Catanduanes. (MAL/EAB/PIA5, Catanduanes)
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