Nueva Vizcaya- Quirino Water Watch (NVQWW) called for the non-renewal of the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) of OceanaGold Phils., Inc. (OGPI) and to stop all mining activities in the Nueva Vizcaya province by launching a signature campaign.
The provincial government asked for the support of different sectors in the province to support the campaign.
“The voices of our people including the government sector are called upon to strongly support these synchronized signature campaigns to bring to the attention of concerned national government agencies that continue to play deaf ears on our appeal to immediately stop mining here and in Quirino province,” Provincial Administrator Maybelle Blossom Dumlao-Sevillena was quoted in a Philippine Information Agency report.
She added that the signature campaign will be representing the Novo Vizcayanos’ deep sense of responsibility to protect the province from all sorts of developmental abuse specifically mining.
OGPI’s mining operation in barangay Didipio in Kasibu town has been stopped due to a legal battle between the firm and the provincial government before the Court of Appeals.
OGPI officials said the company has experienced huge production losses due to uncertain action on the FTAA and its stopped operations.
