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Let's Abolish DENR Antonio M. Reyes

By Antonio M. Reyes

We’ve just read the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s Assessment of the Small Scale Mining Activities at Barangay Pinut-an, San Ricardo, Southern Leyte and are more than ever convinced that the DENR is no longer relevant and should be abolished by the 14th Congress of the Philippines.

Its assessment of the Pinut-an situation is inexplicable and encourages anarchy because it recommends that we ignore the provisions of Republic Act 7942 which prohibits mining activities within 200 meters distance onshore and 500 meters offshore from the low tide mark.

The MGB also admits that the current mining operators there are using banned equipment like “boso-boso” and are employing child labor which is against the law. They are also using mercury which causes cancer and kidney ailments in human beings and they have no first aid facility.

Despite these violations the MGB is asking the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) to “pass a resolution for the provincial government to issue small scale mining permits to these illegal miners and is asking the Provincial Governor to legalize the gold mining activities in the area.”

In other words it is asking Provincial Governor Damian Mercado to disobey the country’s environmental laws simply because the MGB believes that small scale mining is providing employment for the people in the area.

Abolishing the DENR or at least limiting the disastrous impact of its environmental policies isn’t really that difficult. Since the Local Government Code has already devolved most of the department’s functions and responsibilities to the provincial and municipal governments.

This is why we have the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Management Office (PENRMO) and its counter-parts at the municipal level. What is unfortunate is that the heads of these offices haven’t been doing their job.

Fortunately there is still time for Mr. Pedro Sorio who is our top environment official to convince the provincial board and the governor not to be swayed by MGB’s pathetic arguments and must deny its request to legalize the illegal mining operations in San Ricardo.

If he will not protect our environment, he should at least make sure his boss does not go to jail for flouting the law. For in the final analysis it is the governor (and not Mr. Sorio) who will be held accountable for this monumental blunder.