The four bishops of Negros yesterday called on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to prevent further devastation in the lives of the people, such as the St. Bernard tragedy, by putting a stop to large-scale mining in the Philippines and its imminent proliferation in Negros Island.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, San Carlos Bishop Jose Advincula Jr., Dumaguete Bishop John Du and Kabankalan Bishop Patricio Buzon jointly launched their mining advocacy campaign to oppose the promotion of large scale "environmentally destructive mining in our land."

"It can only result in the incalculable and irreversible damage to our bio-physical environment from whence we draw life and sustenance as well as in subjecting to even greater threat the already precarious state of human security amongst our communities," the bishops said.

"What happened in St. Bernard is obvious proof that what we do to our environment will take its toll on the lives of our people," Navarra said.

"I hope what happened in St. Bernard will awaken the people to take a stand against further destruction of our environment," Navarra added.

Advincula said that, although what happened in St. Bernard was not a mining incident, it was partly caused by destruction of the forest. "Mining activities infringe on forest cover and in some places mountains are deforested," he said.

Du said a mine tailings pond spill could cause massive destruction, too. We want to pre-empt potential disasters that could cause further devastation, he said.

Marinduque Rep. Edmundo Reyes, one of the speakers at the mining advocacy launching, said deforestation that occurred in St. Bernard 10 years ago has been admitted to have contributed to the recent landslide that has caused the deaths of hundreds of people.

This shows that, like in mining, even if environmental destruction occurred years ago, its devastation can be felt years after, he said.

He said allowing mining to ensure quick earnings is not worth the destruction it causes to the environment and to the health of the people in the long term.

The four bishops said they affirm the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for the immediate repeal of the Mining Act of 1995.

By the concrete experiences of the people and territorial communities in Itogon, Benguet; Didipio, Nueva Viscaya; Boac, Marinduque; Rapu-Rapu, Albay; Rio Tuba, Palawan; Homonhon and Manicani Islands in Guiuan, Eastern Samar; Tampakan, South Cotabato; Sicon and Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte; Toledo City, Cebu; and Hinoba-an and Sipalay in Negros Occidental we are convinced that the proliferation of large scale mining will not redound to our collective well being and long term development, they said.

They, instead, called for a democratic and consultative process for the enactment of a new legal framework that will seek to achieve wise stewardship of the country's natural resources.

They also called on the President to recall all approved Financial Technical Assistance Agreements and other mineral agreements and to declare a moratorium on the issuance of large scale mining permits, licenses, agreements and other instruments until the new legal frame work has been set in place.

They also called on the President to put a stop to efforts to amend the Constitution and other existing laws and administrative issuances affecting mining such as the Local Government Code, Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, the National Integrated Protected Areas System law and the Environmental Impact Assessment.

"We believe that the place of government is in upholding and enforcing key provisions of the law that protect the rights of communities and indigenous people and not in watering them down for sacrifice at the alter of foreign investments," they said.

They also called on government to require rehabilitation and restoration of mining areas and exact accountability from mining corporations for the destruction they caused thus far.

"The rehabilitation of abandoned mines should be for the purpose of their final decommissioning instead of their re-opening and re-utilization," they said.

They also said they joined the Catholic bishops of Northern Luzon in calling on the people to unite in rejecting the entry of mining companies that orchestrate the destruction of natural resources.

They called for the serious consideration and planning of alternatives to large scale mining, which are more lasting and sustainable, stressing the need to "reduce, reuse and recycle."

The bishops yesterday also paid a courtesy call on Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon at the Capitol building in B

acolod City and informed him of their position on mining. Navarra said they were encouraged by the statement of the governor that he personally has reservations and questions about the mining industry because of what has already happened in Negros Occidental.

"The governor promised to study our position paper together with his technical people," Navarra said.

Navarra said Sipalay Mayor Oscar Montilla, who was present when they met with the governor, also promised to cooperate with the bishops.

Navarra said he is banking on the goodwill of the president to listen to their mining stand. "I believe this will greatly help to make her see the real issue," he said.

Buzon said they are hopeful the president will listen to their concerns because deep in everyone is the desire to search for the truth.*CPG

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