PHNO-HL: BISHOPS START DRIVE VS MINING EO EVEN BEFORE NOY'S ANNOUNCEMENT

BISHOPS START DRIVE VS MINING EO EVEN BEFORE
NOY'S ANNOUNCEMENT
[PHOTO
-Manila Auxiliary Bishop
Broderick Pabillo. INQUIRER file
photo]
MANILA, JULY 9, 2012 (INQUIRER) By
Gil Cabacungan, Jocelyn R. Uy - The President is set to announce his
administration's new mining policy Monday but the Catholic Bishops' Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP) has already started a signature campaign calling for a
moratorium on its implementation.
The CBCP started gathering signatures from its members over the weekend to
also push for the urgent passage of an alternative mining law even as Malacañang
appealed to all to "hold off any comment" until the new mining policy is
released and digested.
The Palace said President Benigno Aquino's newly signed executive order (EO)
spelling out his administration's mining policy would be released Monday.
But Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, head of the CBCP National
Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa), launched the signature campaign to stop
the implementation of the EO during a three-day plenary assembly of Catholic
bishops that will be concluded Monday.
Pabillo presented to some 100 bishops assembled at the Pope Pius XII Catholic
Center in Manila a position paper calling for the repeal of the current mining
policy, the passage of an Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB) by
Congress, and the declaration of a moratorium on the implementation of President
Aquino's new EO while the bill is going through the legislative process.
Nassa executive secretary Fr. Edu Gariguez, recently awarded the Goldman
Environmental Prize for his anti-mining advocacy, on Sunday said the passage of
a new mining law has become more urgent with Mr. Aquino's signing of the EO on
mining.
"There is a need to push for this AMMB because that EO is not the solution to
our problem. The Chamber of Mines is rejoicing already—an indicator that this EO
actually favors mining companies," he told reporters in an interview.
The AMMB, which its proponents hope will be passed as the Philippine Minerals
Resources Act of 2012, stresses the need for fair revenue sharing, environmental
protection and the safeguard of human rights.
The mining bill, now being deliberated by a technical working group of the
House natural resources committee, is a consolidated version of three House
bills (HB 206, 3763 and 4315) and several minor mining-related bills in
Congress. A Senate version of the bill has already been filed in February.
Church-led protest
Gariguez said Nassa was confident that the signature campaign and its
position on the matter would be supported by the bishops, who had called in 2006
for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995.
Gariguez said Nassa, the Church hierarchy's social arm, will eventually
submit their position paper to the President, Senate and the House of
Representatives.
"We will use this to convince our senators and congressmen to support the
[AMMB] because if the President's EO is also a failure and this administration
will also favor the mining companies, then we have no hope left," he said.
The new mining policy is expected to increase government profit from the
industry, which has seen a high demand for mineral resources. The EO is also
anticipated to exclude more areas from mining to protect the environment.
"Our problem in our mining policy cannot be cured by a mere EO because that's
just palliative. That's not enough…there's a need to overhaul our mining
policy," stressed Gariguez.
Palace appeals to public
Malacañang on Sunday appealed to the public to hold their opinions on the EO
on mining in check until it is disclosed Monday.
"Let's just wait a little more time and we will be presenting the mining EO,"
said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte in a radio interview.
"Perhaps it would be better to hold off any comments before seeing the actual
EO and seeing what the provisions are," said Valte amid the early criticisms
from Church leaders.
"It aims to give a more comprehensive policy on mining in the country,
particularly on the problem of small-scale mining."
Local execs to sue
The bishops are not the first or only prominent group challenging the mining
EO. Earlier, local government executives threatened to contest it before the
Supreme Court.
Governor Joey Salceda of Albay had said some 40 governors would go to court
to question the much-awaited mining policy, fearing that the measure would
"destroy the countryside" that municipal legislation was protecting.
The issue is whether President Aquino can impose national policies that set
aside local ordinances.
The President had responded by saying he welcomed a legal challenge,
insisting that national laws had primacy over local legislation.
FROM THE PHILSTAR
Palace: Mining EO can withstand judicial scrutiny
By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star) Updated July 09, 2012 12:00
AMComments (1)

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang gave assurances yesterday that President
Aquino's new executive order on mining, described as a comprehensive policy
regulating the industry, will be able to withstand judicial scrutiny.
"We are prepared to defend it. That is usually the case whenever the
executive comes out with an executive order or even an AO (administrative
order), an MC (memorandum circular), an MO (memorandum order). We're ready if
this is challenged (in court)," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said.
Valte told state-run radio dzRB that critics should wait for the government
to release the EO, which she described as a product of multi-level consultations
with stakeholders.
She said the new mining EO is a "more comprehensive policy" that will do away
with recurring concerns over small-scale miners, where government "took into
consideration the voices of the stakeholders" concerned.
Valte's boss, Edwin Lacierda, confirmed Saturday last week that Aquino signed
the EO, which aims to generate more revenues for the government and address
mining industry and environmental concerns.
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.(photo) will release the new
mining policy this week.
Lacierda said Environment Secretary Ramon Paje will also hold a press
briefing to explain the executive order.
The spokesman stressed that the administration conducted extensive
consultations with mining stakeholders before it finalized the new mining
policy.
The government crafted the new mining policy that would be beneficial for
both the government and mining investors.
With the crafting of the new policy, the Aquino administration hopes to
generate more revenues in the face of high demand for metallic resources.
The new EO also aims to balance out concerns on environment protection and
economic gains.
Lion's share
Aquino earlier promised to reduce significantly the 98 percent profit of
miners and cut this by as much as 30 points, to as low as 68 percent, and
increase the government's take – by means of taxes – from the measly two percent
to 32 percent.
"I think the division of profit is not fair," Aquino said, adding that the EO
will address the issues of all concerned, especially after the series of
consultations.
The EO is also expected to list down tourism areas where mining will be
banned, or the 78 ecotourism sites. The mining policy guideline also includes
provisions on environmental degradation, safety issues, and dislocation of
indigenous peoples.
Ochoa said the EO will strike a balance between the interests of the mining
industry and the environment because it seeks to harmonize the conflicting
national and local laws on mining, especially in terms of approving and handling
mining applications.
'Not the proper solution'
However, Father Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) National Secretariat for Social Action
(NASSA), said the various issues on mining operations in the country could not
be totally addressed by a mere executive order.
Gariguez said the passage of Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB) in
Congress has become more urgent with President Aquino's recent signing of the
executive order on mining.
"There is a need to push for this AMMB because that EO is not the solution to
our problem. The Chamber of Mines rejoicing is already an indicator that this EO
actually favors mining companies," he said in a recent interview. – Helen
Flores



Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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