Lawmakers urge PNoy to certify new mining bill as urgent during SONA

Two lawmakers are urging President Benigno Aquino III to certify as urgent the alternative mining bill during his State of the Nation Address on July 28, saying a new mining law that puts the welfare of the people first before profits is needed.

In a meeting last week of the executive council of SOS-Yamang Bayan (SOS-YB) Network, party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez III of AKBAYAN said the Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB) is “the best alternative to the current mining policy that promotes large-scale mining and exploitation of the country’s mineral resources and communities.”

“If we want future generations to benefit from our rich environment, we should help alter the global condition of our environment today and AMMB is a vital solution,” he added.  

For his part, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. said he would to push the passage of the AMMB in the 16th Congress.

Under Republic Act 7942, ort the Mining Act of 1995, mining companies that obtain the financial or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) are required to share half of its revenues with the government.

It also also mandates mining fims to pay the regular corporate income tax on top of a 2-percent excise tax, business tax, royalty for mineral products extracted from mineral reservations and royalty payments for indigenous peoples directly affected by mining operations.

People over profits

Critics see RA 7942 as a flawed law that has resulted in disasters and environmental destruction.

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines executive director  Emmanuel Amistad said the Mining Act of 1995 has led to environmental damage and disruption of lives in communities where large-scale mining companies are operating.

“[T]here are violations by some government officials and personnel who prioritize profit and income over peoples’ rights and welfare. What we still have today is a law that tolerates all these in favor of corporate greed,” he said.

Judy Pasimio, head of Lilak (Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights), said the Aquino administration should prioritize measures seeking to protect the rights and interests of the people.

“The country needs a just and equitable mining policy which covers not only the economic benefits but also the participation and opportunities for development, especially for the affected communities,” she said.

Aquino imposed a moratorium on new mining deals in 2012 through Executive Order 79, which expanded the “no-go” mining zones in the country to include 78 tourism sites, farms, marine sanctuaries, and island ecosystems.

This was in response to a public clamor to protect the environment from mining.

But a report in February by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines claimed that the country's mining sector has been lagging behind since EO 79's implementation. — Xianne Arcangel /LBG, GMA News