The proposed mining explorations in the two upland barangays of Talisay City, Negros Occidental, met vehement opposition from residents and city officials, a member of the Northern Negros Forest Reserve Management Council said.

Joemarie Vargas, NNFR management council member and an executive assistant of Mayor Eric Saratan, said the Talisay government has objected to the proposed exploration activities of three mining companies - Liverpool, Cypress and Anaconda - which cover more than 3,000 hectares in Brgys. Cabatangan and Katilingban, which even included a portion of Brgy. Guimbalaon, Silay City. The stand of the Talisay government was echoed by a resolution of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental, calling for a halt in the mining explorations in the province.

Vargas said adverse effects on the environment were cited by the Talisay government in its opposition. The explorations of Liverpool cover 868.6 hectares in Brgy. Katilingban, Talisay City and Brgy. Guimbalaon, Silay City, Cypress and Anaconda in Brgys. Katilingban and Cabatangan, Talisay, are being proposed to cover 1,380 hectares and 1,008 hectares, respectively.

The four bishops of Negros island - Vicente Navarra of Bacolod, Jose Advincula Jr. of San Carlos, John Du of Dumaguete and Patricio Buzon of Kabankalan - have been calling to President Arroyo to stop what they call large scale "environmentally destructive mining".

Navarra expressed concern over applications for mining permits covering thousands of hectares of land in Negros.

The four Negros bishops, said in a joint statement that mining can only result in the incalculable and irreversible damage to our bio-physical environment form where we draw life and sustenance as well as in subjecting to even greater threat the already precarious state of human security amongst our communities.*GPB

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