President Rodrigo Duterte slammed the mining sector anew as he mulled for a total ban after the 2019 mid-term polls Wednesday.
Duterte said the mining industry contributes P70 billion yearly to the government, but noted the amount is not enough to reverse the environmental degradation it caused.
“’Yan lang. Buong Pilipinas [na ‘yan], P70 billion. Tapos ang nasira na lupa, pag-repair mo lang sa landslide, lahat, pati [sa mga] patay, aabot siguro ng P70 billion times five,” he said during a rebel returnee assembly in Samar.
[The amount the mining industry contributes is just P70 billion. But it destroyed lands. We need to do repairs because of the landslides, and aid the victims. It will cost us P70 billion multiplied by five.]
The president previously noted that the congress has to repeal the law that allows the exploration and development of mineral resource in the country for the total ban to become possible. For this to happen, Duterte said he will try to get the support of newly-elected lawmakers in imposing a total ban on mining in the country after the 2019 mid-term polls.
“Ang problema, may batas. May batas na [nagpapahintulot] na may minahan dito sa Pilipinas. Hindi ako ang mag-ano niyan, [yung] kongreso. Pero pagkatapos ng eleksyon na ito, I will try na i-total ban ang mining,” the president explained.
[There is a law allowing mining in the country. I can no longer do something about it, since it’s already on Congress. But after the elections, I will try to totally ban mining.]
Duterte also ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to “take a second look” into the dangers of mining and renewed his call to end all mining operations in the country after two massive landslides claimed the lives of over a hundred people in Benguet, and Naga City, Cebu last month.
Photo Courtesy of Presidential Communications Office
