IPs, supporters demand repeal Mining Act 06-03-19

	NORDIS WEEKLY March 19, 2006
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IPs, supporters demand repeal Mining Act
BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 17) — Over 200 indigenous peoples (IP) from all over the country together with international and national support groups who attended the National Indigenous Peoples Conference on Mining here last March 12 to 14 called for the repeal of RA 7042 also known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The conference also served as a venue for IPs to share their experiences, lessons, skills and knowledge on mining issues. Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) Chairperson Joan Carling said the said mining law leads to the outright violation of the collective rights of IPs over their land and resources and to the destruction of the environment. She added that the government violated IP rights with impunity in support of big mining companies’ greed for profit. CPA hosted the said IP mining conference. Contrary to newly appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Angelo Reyes belief that mining is the answer to the ailing Philippine economy, Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) National Coordinator Jaybee Garganera said that the 11 years implementation of the Mining Act that brought hardships and environmental catastrophe is enough proof that mining will not bring economic development. ATM and the Philippine Miserior Partnership in cooperation with IP organizations and support groups organized the conference. The conference showed the strong solidarity among indigenous peoples in the country. Earlier Nordis reports showed that even Senator Jamby Madrigal and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are calling for the repeal of the Mining Act. CPA’s earlier reports showed that the Cordillera region is one of the top resource bases in the country. As of March 31, 2005 the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Cordillera processed 114 Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA-11), Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA-65), Exploration Permit (EP-37) and Industrial Sand and Gravel (ISAG-1). These cover more than 66% of the overall land area of the region. According to the Multi-Secotral Action Group (MSAG)-Aurora, the Philippines is presently second largest in gold, third in copper and sixth in chromite deposits worldwide. A protest action last March 14 at the Peoples Park where the delegates expressed their call to repeal the Mining Act in creative cultural presentations and speeches culminated the said conference . # Kimberlie Olmaya Ngabit-Quitasol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY March 19, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
IPs, supporters demand repeal Mining Act
BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 17) — Over 200 indigenous peoples (IP) from all over the country together with international and national support groups who attended the National Indigenous Peoples Conference on Mining here last March 12 to 14 called for the repeal of RA 7042 also known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The conference also served as a venue for IPs to share their experiences, lessons, skills and knowledge on mining issues. Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) Chairperson Joan Carling said the said mining law leads to the outright violation of the collective rights of IPs over their land and resources and to the destruction of the environment. She added that the government violated IP rights with impunity in support of big mining companies’ greed for profit. CPA hosted the said IP mining conference. Contrary to newly appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Angelo Reyes belief that mining is the answer to the ailing Philippine economy, Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) National Coordinator Jaybee Garganera said that the 11 years implementation of the Mining Act that brought hardships and environmental catastrophe is enough proof that mining will not bring economic development. ATM and the Philippine Miserior Partnership in cooperation with IP organizations and support groups organized the conference. The conference showed the strong solidarity among indigenous peoples in the country. Earlier Nordis reports showed that even Senator Jamby Madrigal and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are calling for the repeal of the Mining Act. CPA’s earlier reports showed that the Cordillera region is one of the top resource bases in the country. As of March 31, 2005 the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Cordillera processed 114 Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA-11), Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA-65), Exploration Permit (EP-37) and Industrial Sand and Gravel (ISAG-1). These cover more than 66% of the overall land area of the region. According to the Multi-Secotral Action Group (MSAG)-Aurora, the Philippines is presently second largest in gold, third in copper and sixth in chromite deposits worldwide. A protest action last March 14 at the Peoples Park where the delegates expressed their call to repeal the Mining Act in creative cultural presentations and speeches culminated the said conference . # Kimberlie Olmaya Ngabit-Quitasol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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