Speaker Jose de Venecia yesterday announced that Congress will initiate an immediate review of the 1995 Philippine Mining Act and integrate the strongest possible safeguards for the environment and safety standards for mining communities.

De Venecia's announcement came after he, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other top Cabinet officials met with archbishops and bishops who have been calling for rigid mining standards and environmental protection.

The four bishops of Negros Island -- Vicente Navarra of Bacolod, Jose Advincula Jr. of San Carlos, Bishop John Du of Dumaguete and Bishop Patricio Buzon of Kabanklan have been calling on the president to stop large scale "environmentally destructive mining."

"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.

Navarra, who was in Manila yesterday to attend a permanent council meeting of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines, had expressed concern over applications for mining permits covering thousands of hectares of land, especially in southern Negros.

The four Negros bishops are calling 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. Briefing reporters yesterday after the bishops' meeting with the president at the Traders Hotel, de Venecia said the prelates are not against mining per se, but they are against irresponsible mining.

De Venecia said he would instruct Rep. Leovigildo Banaag (1st District, Agusan del Norte), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, to study provisions in the Philippine Mining Act that require amendments.

"We shall incorporate the strongest possible safety and environmental standards," de Venecia said in a statement issued by his office.

He also said the review is aimed at giving the mining industry the government's strongest support while observing the strongest environmental safeguards and standards such as those being implemented in Chile, the United States, Canada, Australia and the Scandinavian countries.

The House of Representatives will integrate recommendations expected in the next 30 days from the Fact-Find Commission President Arroyo has created to look into the effects of the mining operations of Lafayette Philippines Inc. on people's health and environmental safety in Rapu-Rapu, Albay and adjacent towns of Sorsogon as part of the agreement to undertake an immediate review of the Mining Act, de Venecia said.*CPG

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