Zambales residents oppose P200-M ferronickel plant

CANDELARIA, Zambales: The planned construction of a P200-million ferronickel plant in this town is facing strong opposition from the residents who are determined to stop the project that they say would put the environment in danger.

The newly- formed Zambales Lingap Kalikasan ( Zalika), is now gathering signatures for a petition to stop the project proponent, a joint venture among mining firms Westchinamin Corp., Easternreach Mining Group, Inc. and Fujian Hengrun Investment Co. Ltd. From China, from pushing through with the multi- million plant.

The project, reportedly has the blessings of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and is endorsed by Zambales Governor Amor Deloso and Candelaria Mayor Napoleon Edquid.

According to Zalika, the proposed ferronickel plant will aggravate forest denudation and watershed degradation, as well as worsen erosion and siltation, water pollution, and destruction of traditional livelihood of residents like farming, fishing and tourism.

Some residents say they do not want a replication of the indiscriminate mining operations in neighboring Santa Cruz town which continues to wreak havoc – stripping the top soil of the mountains and turning the waters of the river red due to heavy mud.

Destructive mining in Sta. Cruz has resulted in loss of an estimated P250 million annually in earnings for the farmers and fisherfolks.

“We want to preserve the beauty of Candelaria and promote livelihood activities that care for the environment. We vehemently oppose destructive mining and the construction of a ferronickel plant,” Zalika’s petition said in part.

The project, according to the mayor who spoke during the public hearing, will be the first of its kind in the country and will use the most modern technology from China.

“What happened to Sta. Cruz will not happen in Candelaria because of a new technology by Hengrun that will be used for the first time here,” Edquid said.

Westchinamin Corp., which proposed the project, said six industrial production lines will be constructed to produce some 300,000 metric tons of nickel alloys annually. The plant will then process nickel laterite ore under a low-temperature reduction process using microwave technology.

Westchinamin intends to mine for nickel laterite within a 2,000- hectare area in the mountains of Candelaria.

The governor recently turned over a ceremonial key to Lin Cheng Keng, president of the Chinese firm Fujian Hengrun Investment Co. Ltd., in the presence of Westchinamin chairman Antonio Marfori.

Hengrun has been tapped to build the ferronickel plant.

Residents opposed to the controversial project say it was approved without public consultation and also indicated Deloso’s turn-around from his avowed commitment to protect the environment.

Upon officially taking over as governor in June 2016, Deloso issued Executive Order No. 1, ordering a mining moratorium in Zambales.

Candelaria, some 42 kilometers from the capital town of Iba, has a total land area of 33,359 hectares and a population of 27,174, as of 2015.

The third- class municipality is popular for its Uacon Lake, known as the cleanest in Central Luzon and numerous beach resorts.