The National Task Force on Mining Challenge (NTF-MC) closed down hundreds of small-scale mines in Itogon, Benguet this week following a cease and desist order issued by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Sept. 17.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Cordillera (DENR-CAR) said that as of October 8, authorities closed 539 entrances to an underground mine (adits), cordoned 335 bull-mills and 64 carbon-in pulp/carbon in leech, padlocked 170 leach pads, seized 33 kilograms of cyanide and over 64, 200 sacks of mineral ore, and apprehended four persons.
The enforcement of the stoppage order began on Sunday morning.
“The operation is focused on the precept that the activity is illegal and they are doing their activities on hazardous grounds and we want to prevent a repeat of the landslide that killed many people,” DENR Assistant Secretary for Luzon Operations Joselin Marcus Fragada was quoted in a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report as saying.
In the same PNA report, Fragda said the operation has three phases; first is to close down illegal small-scale mines, second is to relocate residents living within geohazard areas, and third is to provide livelihood to displaced residents.
To ensure closed illegal mines will no longer resume, Fragada noted there must be cooperation and vigilance of the local government unit down to the barangay level.
Dozens of small-scale miners and their families were killed in the mining town of Itogon last month, prompting the national government to halt all mining activities, and cancel applications for minahang bayan (community mines) in the Cordillera Region.
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