Mindanao - Northern Mindanao || X Rufus to city hall: Stop mining now!
Rufus to city hall: Stop mining now!
Saturday, 21 January 2012 00:00
REP. Rufus Rodriguez of the city's 2nd District yesterday echoed calls for city hall to immediately stop mining operations in the city as a step against environmental degradation. Rodriguez said city hall can do this even without waiting for the proposed law that would declare Cagayan de Oro as a mining free zone. Rodriguez's proposal, House Bill no. 6798, was already given the green light by the House committee on natural resources. He said it was later submitted to the Senate for approval. Rodriguez's appeal to city hall came weeks after Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma said mining factored in last month's Typhoon Sendong disaster. The city council has shot down a proposed resolution filed by Councilor Edgar Cabanlas that sought a halt to all mining operations in the city. Councilor President Elipe has maintained that there was no evidence that mining caused the December flashfloods. But Rodriguez said all mining operations in the city should be stopped immediately except for quarryings in the middle of the Cagayan River and Iponan River.
"We cannot wait for the approval of the bill. There is an urgent need for government to stop the mining operations as soon as possible," said Rodriguez. Rodriguez confirmed that mining operations were taking place in the outlying villages of the city. He said the miners were already destroying the eco-system. He said, "To prevent major disasters like Sendong and the twin typhoons in 2009 from recurring, mining operations must cease along with logging operations in the hinterLand barangays of the city. Said Rodriguez: "Nahibaloan man kini nila kung kinsa ni sila. Kinahanglan nga pa-undangon na. We will lose our watersheds." Rodriguez said damages caused by mining in the Iponan River cannot be denied. "The Iponan River has been turned into a big-time mining zone. You could see from a plane the discoloration of the river. It has even reached the Macajalar Bay. The danger is that we might soon find ourselves eating fish with cyanide."
According to Councilor Elipe, there are two mining firms allowed to operate in the city. These are Cekas Development Corp. and the Nahilaran Forest Management Inc. (NFMI). Elipe said the firms' operations were not harming the environment. But Task Force Macajalar said miners in the hinterLand barangays have gone to the extent of using explosives. The group said city hall should acknowledge the mining problem first before it could be addressed. The task force said it has evidence to show that mining operations in the outlying villages have badly hurt the environment.
On Tuesday, Councilor Cabanlas told the city council that "Cagayan de Oro is not a mining area but a place suitable only for human inhabitants." He said this after Councilor Elipe revealed that city hall allowed two mining firms to operate in the hinterLand barangays. "Cagayan de Oro is a small city. Gamay ra atong patag unya dako atong kabukiran. Majority of the people stay in the plains. Mining activities being conducted in the upLands would naturally affect those living in the lower areas," said Cabanlas. He said the mining operations along the Cagayan River and Iponan River have long been the subject of complaints. "Dugay naman kini nga atong Iponan River nagbrown na. Dugay na kaayo kini nga hisgutanan. Farmers and fisherfolk have been complaining because the rivers used to be rich in fresh water natural resources. Later on, the rivers were left for dead."
Cabanlas said there is enough reason to believe that heavy siltation contributed to the disaster last month. "Asa man diay mopa-ingon ang tubig kung mabaw na ang suba? Di ba didto sa mga kabalayan?" he asked. He said city hall needs to perform its role as the protector of the city's inhabitants by stopping the mining operations. "This is for self-preservation. We have to protect what we have," said Cabanlas even as he criticized the city council for shooting down his proposal to stop the mining activities. He told the city council: "Can somebody tell me what percentage of good can be brought by mining to Cagayan de Oro? Can somebody tell me if mining can help the residents of Cagayan de Oro rebuild their homes? An ounce of precaution is worth a kilo of cure. I am just bringing the sentiments of the people."
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