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Cordillera mining state amid corporate greed

By WINDEL BOLINGET
SECRETARY-GENERAL
CORDILLERA PEOPLES ALLIANCE

Part 3 of 3

Priority mining projects of GMA

In the 10-Point Legacy of GMA, 23 priority mineral resource development projects and 37 priority mining exploration projects were identified and promoted for business up for grab by mining TNCs. This is an act of treason and betrayal of the Filipino people with such total sell-out and complete surrender of the country’s mineral resources and national patrimony for the TNCs.

Of the 23 priority development projects, 5 projects are found in the Cordillera, namely: Padcal Expansion Project of Philex and Anglo-American in Tuba, Benguet; Teresa Gold Project of Lepanto in Mankayan, Benguet; Far Southeast Gold Project of Lepanto in Mankayan, Benguet; Itogon Gold Project of Itogon Suyoc Mines in Itogon, Benguet; and the Batong Buhay Gold Project of the state in Pasil, Kalinga. Teresa Gold Project and Padcal Expansion Project are expansion of the mining operation of Lepanto and Philex, respectively. Far Southeast Gold Project is a revival of Lepanto’s operation prior to its Victoria project. The other two is a revival of two abandoned mines.

As Itogon Suyoc Mines and the state have no capital to reopen these abandoned mines, it is the priority of the GMA regime to deal on these to foreign capitalists.

Although there are only two EPs approved in the Cordillera, four of the priority exploration projects will be implemented in the region, such as: Conner Copper-Gold Project by Cordillera Exploration of Anglo-American in Apayao; Camp 3 Gold Project by the Northern Luzon Exploration Company of Philex and Anglo-American in Tuba, Benguet; the Gambang Gold Project of Oxiana in Bakun, Benguet; and the Tabuk Copper Project of Wolfland Resources in Kalinga. Coverage of the Tabuk Copper Project extends to the municipality of Pinukpuk and the Conner Copper-Gold Project to the municipality of Balbalan.

Small scale gold miners

Several areas applied for by big mining companies are small-scale gold mining areas. In the Cordillera, there are around 19,500 small-scale gold miners distributed in 6,300 households. They are found mainly in the municipalities of Itogon, Tuba, and Mankayan in Benguet; Bontoc and Sagada in Mountain Province; Bucloc, Boliney, Daguioman, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Lacub, and Tineg in Abra; Balbalan and Pasil in Kalinga. The entry of foreign mining firms threatens the livelihood source of small scale miners, who also face displacement.

Small-scale mining is productive in the Cordillera. In fact, for the first quarter of 2004, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas bought 4,825 kilograms of gold from small-scale miners through its gold-buying station in Quezon City and 609 kilograms from its gold-buying station in Baguio City.

If bad practices among small-scale miners are corrected, small-scale mining is really environmentally-sound; community beneficial, managed and controlled. It is a viable peoples’ alternative to destructive and capitalist mining.

What must be done?

The situation is unacceptable. There is no other way but to struggle, to rely on the peoples’ strength. We cannot rely on the government as it is the problem.

In the face of this life-and-death issue, the people must intensify their struggle for the defense of their ancestral lands and livelihood resources. Affected communities must prepare to resist the onslaught of imperialist mining that further trample upon the already impoverished people of the countryside and build their broadest unity and determination to assert their collective rights and fight for what is just.

Only through the peoples’ vigilance, collective and sustained mass actions using various legitimate forms of defense and resistance with broad public support that this form of national oppression and imperialist imposition be prevented. Before our lands and gold are gone, we have to act now. Guided by our rich arsenal of lessons and experience of the Cordillera people’s movement, we are sure to prevail.

Now, we have to actively respond and participate in the broad nationwide movement for the resignation and ouster of GMA whose policies and programs are subservient foreign powers like mining TNCs and the local elite. As a rabid puppet of imperialist powers and pioneer of the Mining Act of 1995, her mining revitalization program worsens national oppression and ethnocide of indigenous peoples. On top of her crimes against indigenous peoples and the majority Filipinos, she is not a duly elected President. However, ousting her is not enough as the problem is deeply rooted from the social system.

The situation requires a total revamp of the Philippine society where the peoples’ welfare and alternatives on mining are possible. #

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