DENR vows tight watch over P6.2-B Bicol coal project

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday vowed to scrutinize the controversial P6.2-billion coal mining project in Catanduanes province in the Bicol Region. In a radio interview, Environment Secretary Jose "Lito" Atienza Jr. said the project still needs DENR clearance even if the Department of Energy (DOE) might have cleared the venture. “Hindi pa dumadaan sa tanggapan ko ito, ‘di ko alam ang nature ng coal project at ‘di pa ito kumukuha ng environmental clearance (This has not passed through my office. I do not know the nature of this coal project. It has not obtained DENR’s environment clearance)," Atienza said in an interview on dzXL radio. But he said that once his office gets the venture’s documents, a consultation with local residents would be done to see if the project would pose threat to protected areas there. An environmental clearance from the DENR is needed before it can proceed, Atienza added. When asked for further comments, he said he couldn’t do so "because it [document] has not reached my level yet." Not nature friendly Saying that mining destroys the environment, the Catholic Church and other groups are objecting to Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp.'s plan to extract coal deposits in the province, estimated at P6.2 billion. They claimed the project threatens the province’s forest cover and biodiversity, aside from causing floods and pollution of waterways. Some 7,000 hectares of land in the province was awarded to Monte Oro Resources Energy, Inc. in 2005 for coal exploration without public consultation, they said. According to them, the large swathe of land is assigned to Monte Oro in the towns of San Andres, Caramoran and Panganiban. The firm is linked to trader Enrique Razon Jr., who has interest in Monte Oro Grid Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of Monte Oro Resources Energy, a company formed in 2005 to invest in mining, oil and gas, and infrastructure in the Philippines. [See also GMANews.TV's story on Transco bidding] Also, the Church and other groups are opposing the plan of the Energy department to award an additional 8,000 hectares in Caramoan, Panganiban and Viga to another private firm for mining of some P9.4 billion worth of coal deposits. The new area will cut across jurisdictions of 14 villages of the three towns. - GMANews.TV