Mining, environmental protection can coexist, says Palace

Malacañang said on Sunday that it can strike a balance between development of mining resources and environmental protection. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye made the announcement in the official website of The Office of the Press Secretary (www.news.ops.gov.ph). According to Bunye, the government can use legal, political, and technological resources to help create jobs in the mining sector but at the same put in place strict environmental protection measures. “We should not adopt the defeatist attitude of an either-or situation," Bunye said. He said what is important is to maximize the country’s natural resources to alleviate poverty while ensuring the well-being of the communities. “The Arroyo administration is for the full implementation of the Mining Act, but always under strict implementation of environmental safeguards. Social justice can go hand in hand with economic growth," he said. Earlier, the Palace had rejected a ban on mining, which was proposed by the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created the commission to investigate alleged excesses made by Australian mining company Lafayette Philippines Inc. in an operation on Rapu-Rapu island in Albay province. The commission, headed by Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, recommended on Friday the closure of Lafayette for violating 11 of 29 conditions in its environmental clearance certificate. It also recommended the review of provisions in the Philippine Mining Act on the ownership and management of mining firms and operations. The commission proposed the creation of an independent mining authority that would monitor the effects of mining on people’s health and the environment. - GMANews.TV