GenSan church fights open pit mining

They will continue to fight the open pit mining operation of the Tampakan Project and the people of South Cotabato can do more to prevent the destruction of the environment for the future of South Cotabatenos.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Social Action Center of the Diocese of Marbel in South Cotabato will still continue to fight the open pit mining operation of Tampakan Project amid the recent Court of Appeals decision.

In a statement, Father Jerome Millan, Director of Social Action Center, said it is saddening that the CA decided that the large scale mining operation is permitted to use open pit as mode of extracting mineral ores from the ground. The SAC head stressed that the

Environment Code of the province of South Cotabato becomes the laughing stock since large-scale mining is somewhat untouchable.

He added that even though the Environment Code has been established as valid, still South Cotabato is at the losing end.

He lamented that they will continue to fight the open pit mining operation of the Tampakan Project and the people of South Cotabato can do more to prevent the destruction of the environment for the future of South Cotabatenos.

Meanwhile, Tampakan town

Municipal Mayor, Leonard Escobillo disclosed to local media that all the LGU wanted is to become an overseer and regulator of the Tampakan Project.

He said that it should be logical that a host community of the project must be included as an overseer not only coming from the national agencies should the Tampakan Project commences.

The reaction was made by the local chief executive upon knowing that the Court of Appeals already handed its decision declaring validity of the Provincial Environment Code of South Cotabato despite it being only limited to small-scale mining operations. The CA clarified that open pit mining does not apply to large-scale mining operations.

To recall, LGU-Tampakan was also barred by the Court of Tax Appeal to levy at least P400 miliion of business and other taxes against Sagittarius Mines Inc. the government contractor of the Tampakan Project.

Based on studies and research, the Tampakan Project is estimated to cost at least $200 Billion dollars of minerals and touted as the biggest untapped minerals deposits in Southeast Asia.