Stop logging and mining NOW!
THE walls have ears and the news that has reached civil society organizations is that our President Pnoy is having difficulty finalizing his mining policy. Green Convergence, a green social movement which includes close to 50 environmental organizations and several NGO networks hopes that the timing of this letter to our President is opportune and will help him decide the fate of our environment. Dear President Aquino: We have noted your concern for our hapless countrymen who have been ravaged by the string of calamities that have struck the Philippines, the most recent and utterly devastating being “Sendong.” Like us, you must also sense the grave distress, fear, and insecurity this has wrought on the Filipino masses who, as you know, suffer the most from such catastrophes.
This brings us to ask, what hap- pens now, Mr. President? We are deeply alarmed that, as in the past, we might again simply return to “business-as-usual” after the devastation – same policies, same actions, more calamities.
Mr. President, we trust you see that drastic change is what our country needs and has needed for a long time, and that you will now “take the bull by the horns” to stamp out the root causes of our tragedies.
The truth has become obvious that these calamities are not caused solely by nature or climate change. Many of them are a result of the wanton abuse of our environment which has wreaked havoc on our ecosystems. The most notorious of these abuses are logging and mining.
Mr. President, we are aware of the industry lobby groups that will stop at nothing to convince you and your cabinet that mining is necessary for our economic survival. And yet, how much have we earned from this industry, and how much do we need to spend in the aftermath of the resulting disasters? Even worse, how many of our people have lost their lives, been displaced and driven to hopelessness? Even as you are spending billions to alleviate poverty, the degradation of our natural resources is surely leading us to destitution. Only the few who profit from extractive industries feel safe and secure in their strong mansions, away from harm’s way.
Mr. President, we appreciate EO 23 which you issued to stop logging in forests, but its implementation leaves much to be desired. In the present state of our environment, we cannot afford to lose any more forest!
With many other Filipinos, we call for a moratorium on mining.
With many other Filipinos, we are in solidarity with the Save Palawan Movement.
We believe that there are many sustainable sources of economic development superior in advantages over extractive industries which devastate our ecosystems.
Mr. President, please use the vast powers of your presidency to stop further suffering of our countrymen. You were destined to lead our nation in the MATUWID NA DAAN. Please stop logging and mining now!
orgsus@haribon.org.ph