ROSABEL NAROMAL LEADS IN WRITING OUR PAPER ON MINING

In 04 February 2013, Rosabel Naromal presented her preliminary research on mining which was commissioned by PBCI. She did this work from July to December of 2012. PBCI will eventually publish its position on mining after this process.

“Is the PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) pro-mining or anti-mining?”  We have been bombarded with this question by our partners, colleagues, and critics while in the field and during conferences.

There is no simple answer to this.  We decided to educate our position.  So, we started by consulting with Rosabel Naromal.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.  Her passion is to use her expertise to serve God, to serve the Filipino people, and to help develop a proposal regarding mining issues from the perspective of advancing justice-based peace and development.

photo (29)For the past six months, Rosabel has been doing research on mining from ecological, economic, social, and political perspectives.  She reviewed the history of mining laws in the Philippines from the US Mining Act of 1902, the Mining Law of 1905, the Mining Act of 1935, the Presidential Decree No. 463 under Marcos’ Martial Law, and the Mining Act of the Philippines (MAP) in 1995 under former President Fidel V. Ramos.  We were also given a picture of the development from President Ramos to the actions of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III:

Under former President Fidel V. Ramos the Mining Act of 1995 (MAP) of the Philippines was enacted. As a piece of legislation, it won unanimous support from all branches of the government: the legislative, the executive and the judiciaryThis has become the legislation on which the mining industry of the Philippines now anchors. It has gone through facelifts in attempts to strike a balance between boosting and stabilizing the economic sector through the industry and heeding the increasing demands of the other stake holders for reforms in the industry. But as yet, MAP is still far from pleasing both sides even with the Executive Order 79 (EO 79) and its IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations).

Furthermore, she also presented a point-by-point comparison of selected provisions of Republic Act 4729 (1995 Mining Act of the Philippines) and of House Bill 4315 (Alternative People’s Mining Bill).

Finally, Rosabel Naromal reviewed the arguments in the on-going debate between those who advocate to accelerate the mining industry, and those who advocate to stop mining operations in our country.

Our staff also identified and discussed the various views and positions who make up the spectrum between pro-mining and anti-mining advocacies.

We also sent our field workers on a fact-finding mission to some mining operations in Surigao del Norte, Compostela Valley, and Kalinga.

Next week, the reports of our field workers will be integrated into the paper that we are developing as a team.

Meanwhile, Dann Pantoja, our President at PBCI, is also working on a theological reflection paper on mining.

Soon, we will publish our position paper. But before that, we’d like to listen to you. Would you kindly share your perspectives on this issue of mining? Please share your view on the comment box below.

Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2013/02/rosabel-naromal-leads-pbci-in-writing-our-study-paper-on-mining/

4 comments

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    • Memen Lauzon-Gatmaytan on 24.February.2013 at 1141
    • Reply

    I remember in 1995, most of us IP advocates and other NGOs were caught by surprise when the Mining Act was passed. It was all too sudden, there was even no hint that deliberation was progressing in Congress. And we all knew too well why it was so. We learned our lessons from there, so that congress lobbying and monitoring were seriously pursued by NGOs who have issues to push in Congress.

    Genuine FPIC is still an important element in this discourse and must be a basic and non-negotiable feature of any proposed mining activity in the country.

    Moratorium for all applications of mining permits and review of ongoing mining projects may be in order.

    Mining companies should also study the ROI in mining to consider the opposition it will face, the risks involved including costs of lives and properties of local people and a clear examination of their (mining companies’ owners and big bosses) consciences.

    1. Thank you very much, Memen. Your experience and wisdom in this particular issue of peacebuilding is so valuable to our journey as a community.

      Perhaps you have some studies and documents in your rich knowledge bank which you can share with us? We will always document the sources and give credit where credit is due.

      Peace and blessings to you and your loved-ones!

    • Bryan Jay Paler on 24.February.2013 at 0412
    • Reply

    Masaya po ako na pinag-aaralan po talaga kung ano po ang nilalaman ng statement. Pero pwede po bang isama sa dapat hingan din ng karanasan at pagkatuto ay ang mismong tao na nakatira sa malapit o mismong mining?

    Salamat po. Aabangan ko po ang pinale ng inyong pahayag hingil sa pagmimina.

    Maraming salamat po.

    Pagpapala at pagmamahal.

    1. Maraming salamat, Bryan Jay, sa iyong reply. Tama ka. Karapat-dapat lamang na ang pangunahing kaalaman sa pagmimina ay mula sa pananaw ng mga taong nakatira sa mga kapaligiran ng minahan. Ito ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit kami nag-aaral tungkol sa isyu ng pagmimina. Nakababad ang aming mga field workers sa mga dakong yaon at naririnig rin namin ang kanilang mga hinanaing. Ang pag-aaral na ito ay mula sa framework ng Shalom: (a) kapayapaan sa harap ng Manlilikha; (b) kapayapaan sa ating sarili; (k) kapayapaan sa ating lipunan; at, (d) kapayapaan sa kalikasan.

      Kapayapaan at pagpapala ang suma-iyo.

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