Church opposes 'mining rush' in Eastern Samar

MANILA, Philippines - Catholic Church officials registered their objection to what they consider a mining rush for nickel and chromite ore in Eastern Samar. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website said the rush had attracted mining investors "big and small, dubious and legit." "The small-scale mining operations here are deceptions. The destruction is very glaring," said Fr. Euly Belizar, parish priest of the Borongan Cathedral, in an article on the CBCP website. He noted that in late 2007, the provincial government approved a resolution setting aside sizeable portions of land exclusively to small-scale mining. In the towns of Salcedo alone where mining operations are ongoing, the provincial policy set aside thousands of hectares for small-scale nickel and chromite mining. But Belizar lamented there is now an "alarming" number of mining operations. He said the perceived safe mining operations appeared to be fronts of "more destructive activities" to the province's remaining natural resources. The priest claimed the mining firms operating in Salcedo are also using heavy equipment almost similar to the equipment used in large-scale mining. "If the mining companies can show us a place with intact forest cover and people have become wealthy or healthy after massive mining operation, perhaps they can get the support of the public," he said. On the other hand, the CBCP noted the Mines and Geosciences Bureau is also processing an application for an offshore nickel and iron mining exploration permit in the Matarinao Bay, considered to be breeding ground for marine life and an important fishing area to hundreds of coastal families in the towns of Hernani, Macarthur, Quinapondan and Salcedo. - GMANews.TV