MANILA - Catholic bishops in the Philippines yesterday urged President Gloria Arroyo to work to repeal a law that opened up the mining industry to foreign firms, citing environmental concerns.

The politically influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines in a message delivered after a national conference said "adverse social impacts" would far outweigh a boom in the mining industry. "We reaffirm our stand for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995," the conclave said.

The bishops said it was the people's basic right to tap natural resources and allowing big mining companies access to these "amounts to violating their right to life."

"Furthermore, mining threatens people's health and environmental safety through the wanton dumping of waste and tailings in rivers and seas," the CBCP said.

"We reiterate our request to the president to recall all approved mining concessions, and to disapprove pending applications," it said.

The church has been at the forefront of efforts to stop the legislature from opening up the mining industry and has waged a legal battle to have it declared unconstitutional.

But in December 2004 the Supreme Court ruled that the mining law was constitutional, lifting the final obstacle for foreign companies in the industry.

The perennially cash-strapped government last year said it estimated a windfall of up to $90 billion in foreign investments in the mining industry with 23 major mining projects in the pipeline.

While the law calls for the separation of the state and church, the Catholic hierarchy remains a strong political force in the Philippines, where over 80 percent belong to the religion.*AFP

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