Defend Patrimony South Negros, an anti-mining alliance, on Monday held a protest seeking the abolishment of the Mining Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7942) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
Fr. Alvin Gene Lacson, the group’s coordinator, expressed in a statement that mining has brought destruction to the environment and irreparable damages to people’s lives.
Mining in Southern Negros has been halted after a series of protests happened in the region back in the late 1990s and early 2000. However, Lacson revealed that some mining companies are now planning to re-open sites to conduct mining operations.
The priest also claimed that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has approved seven Mineral Production Sharing Agreement including that of Maricalum Mining Corporation in San Jose, Sipalay City and Philex Mining Corporation in Nabulao, Sipalay City.
Quarry permits were also granted to big quarry operators in Ilog and Hilabagan Rivers despite continued protests of farmers due to worries of farmland flooding that these quarries may cause.
“The said protests seem unheard as no actions were taken. Worst, those farmers protesting against the quarry are subjected to militarization and harassment by military who have encamped in several barangays in Kabankalan City,” Lacson was quoted saying in an article by Sunstar.com.
After the lack of success of the protests, farmers had a written counterpart filed to the Provincial Environment Management of Negros Occidental.
Meanwhile, Lacson said an area of more or less 355,000 hectares or equivalent to one-third of Negros Occidental will be under mining companies’ control as 50 applications for mining in the province have already been approved.
In the neighboring province of Negros Oriental, on the other hand, 46 approved applications for mining will cover 152,348 hectares.
