‘Majority of governors favor responsible mining’
A majority of governors are in favor of responsible mining and not necessarily opposed to the draft executive order on the national government’s policy on mining, Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Villafuerte Jr. said yesterday.
“As far as I know, a majority of the governors are for responsible mining,” said Villafuerte in a statement. “Some just have concerns on the draft executive order, specifically on the proper consultations with the local government units, ensuring the environmental viability of mining operations, the regulatory powers of local government units over mining operations and fair and equitable sharing of revenues from such operations.”
He cited Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee, Camarines Norte Gov. Edgar Tallado and two governors from the Bicol region, aside from himself as among those governors.
Villafuerte, concurrent vice president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, expressed confidence that the EO on mining would satisfactorily address the issues raised by local government units.
He said governors only wanted mining operations to ensure that the environment would be protected.
“The local government units would have a say in regulating them, and local government units should get a fair share of the revenues that are generated by the government on such operations and the population would derive substantial benefits,” he said.
Villafuerte also stressed the need to ensure that local laws are consistent with the Constitution. “That is very clear (in the Constitution) and leaves little room for interpretation,” he said.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda earlier said 40 governors are opposed to the EO, adding that they will challenge its constitutionality before the Supreme Court.
Premature
But presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Salceda’s statement is premature.
“The executive order on mining has not yet been released. So, let’s wait and let them review the EO, or let them see the EO first,” Lacierda said.
“Let’s put on hold our concerns; let’s put on hold our fears. And wait till we see the final copy of the EO,” he said.
“What is certain is that local laws cannot supplant national laws. That’s clear,” he added.
Lacierda also gave assurance that concerned Palace officials have been consulting with various stakeholders in drafting the EO. However, he could not confirm if governors, including Salceda’s group were among them.
“I would have to ask them,” he said, referring to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, Presidential Adviser for Environmental Concerns Neric Acosta and Bebeth Gozon of the Climate Change Commission.
“I don’t know who they consulted with but the ES already issued a press statement. The reason why it’s taking sometime for the EO to be finalized is because of the various consultations that were given, mining industry and also the environmentalists,” Lacierda said.
For his part, Paje described the EO as “a game changer in the mining industry.”
“It will raise the bar, because we will use state of the art technology in all mining operations,” he said, noting that he already asked assistance from Science Secretary Mario Montejo to further improve mining guidelines.
Paje also disclosed a possible partnership between the Departments of Science and Technology and Environment and Natural Resources to utilize aerial zones in monitoring logging and mining areas struck by disaster.
Paje said they will put sensors on mining sites which can be financed by mining operators. The sensors can detect levels of mercury and cyanide used by the mining firms.