Cantillas wants mining stopped

MANILA PHILIPPINES – Six bishops from Eastern Visayas led by Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the Maasin Diocese have made an impassioned appeal to government leaders to stop commercial mining in the region.

They claim mining in Eastern Visayas will only worsen the environment’s deteriorating state and destroy the livelihood of people there.

In their pastoral statement issued October 22 they called “On our responsible leaders in the government and private sectors and all those who harbor intentions of mining our region to listen to the voices of our people” and “Bring back the beautiful land we used to have.”

The pastoral statement titled “A Call to Stop Mining in Eastern Visayas” was signed by Bishop Precioso Cantillas, Palo Archbishop Jose Palma, Catarman Bishop Emmanuel Trance, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, Calbayog Bishop Isabelo Abarquez and Naval Bishop Felomino Bactol.

In their statement posted Wednesday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines website, the bishops criticized the misplaced priorities of some local leaders and accused them of acting “more like agents of the mining firms rather than agents of the people.”

They noted that several mining permits for exploration and mining agreements have been issued in the provinces of Southern Leyte, Samar, Leyte and Biliran.

The bishops said they were concerned by the destructive impact of strip mining on the islands of Manicani and Homonhon in Eastern Samar, Batag in Northern Samar and the large scale river quarrying of the Subang Daku in Sogod, Southern Leyte .

“As shepherds of our flock, it is our collective sentiments that the continuing drive for development of the Eastern Visayas region anchored on mining as well as other extractive economic pursuits, only reinforce the irreversible trend of permanently damaging nature’s endowments.

“As a consequence the many lines of opportunities upon which our people can draw their life sustenance will definitely be threatened immensely,” they said.

“Previous experiences show that the social costs and irreversible damage on the environment and livelihood caused by mining far outweigh its perceived economic benefits and these should have imparted lessons to everyone” the bishops claimed.

Citing the case of the depleted Bagacay mine in Hinabangan, Western Samar the bishops said “The mining firm left the area devastated and the river poisoned after having extracted all the minerals from the ground. The people who had high hopes of being lifted from their sorry state of poverty were left to fend for themselves and grapple with the realities that there are were no more fertile grounds to grow their food or natural river systems to catch fish for their day’s meal,” they concluded. (By A.M. REYES)

Other News

What Log ban!

National Helmet law Passed

Local Artist shines Abroad

Peaceful But Expensive!

Cantillas wants mining stopped

Water shortage ends but will return in 2011

Angry mom's slam porno-dens

Scout Jamboree a success

Mayor Espina Exonerated

16 SJC students pass

Let’s legalize illegal mining

Bus Kills 3 in Bantig Fiesta

LIST OF WINNING CANDIDATES

LIST OF 42 BARANGAY CAPTAIN'S ON 3RD TERM