THE 23 mining firms nationwide that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced to close down had not received closure notices prior to the public announcement, according to Mindanao Business Council chair and owner of Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corporation Vicente Lao.
In a phone interview, Lao told VoxPop Davao there was neither written nor verbal notice from the government given to these companies that would explain the reason for closure.
He said it would have helped if they were consulted first or if the problems or violations made were discussed with them before the closure announcement.
He recalled that late last year, an anti-mining non-government group came to Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corporation in Homonhon, Eastern Samar, and inspected the area for two to three hours.
However, there were no discussions and consultations after that about the violations they may have had committed.
Among the firms ordered to be closed were Benguet Corporation, Ore Asia Mining and Development Corporation, Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corporation, Emir Minerals Corporation, and Techlron Mineral Resources Incorporated.
Some five others namely Berong Nickel Corporation, Citi Nickel Mines and Development Corporation, Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation, Oceano Gold Philippines, and Strong Built Mining Development Corporation were suspended due to some environmental violations.
In a separate statement, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said the country should not have mining firms that endanger the cleanliness of the potable water supply in the area.
She also said the 23 mining firms are operating on or near watersheds.
Lopez said DENR made a five-month long further review before they released the official results of their audit.
On top of that, the mining companies were also given a week to respond after the release of the mining audit results.
Lao added closure of the mining companies will affect some 1.2 million individual workers who would lose their jobs including the indirect employees and workers living near the site that had been provided jobs because of the operation.
He cited security guards, carinderia owners, and workers as examples.
He said in Homonhon, the main industry is fisheries but fisherfolks resort to mining for the meantime while there are typhoon warnings that come often in the area.
They couldn’t plant because their soil is contaminated of toxic mineral.
“Secretary Lopez should even be thankful for the miners in Homonhon for cleaning the land of the toxic materials,” Lao said, adding that they have yet to see the alternative jobs that DENR promised.
