By IRA KAREN APANAY Reporter

Local Government Officials In Mindoro On Friday Questioned The Validity Of The Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) Issued By The Department Of Environment And Natural Resources (DENR) To A Norwegian Based Mining Company Despite An Outstanding 25-Year Mining Moratorium In The Province.

Gov. Arnan Panaligan of Oriental Mindoro said the issuance of the Environmental Compliance Certificate for the mining project of Intex Resources Philippines Inc. is “irregular” because “it will cause damage to our fragile environment.”

“The mining site is within the critical area of the watershed and it is also an ancestral domain area,” Panaligan said in a press conference.

Mayor Eric Constantino of Abra de Ilog, town of Occidental Min-doro, said some 20,000 people belonging to seven Mangyan tribes would be greatly affected once the project gets under way.

Panaligan recalled that former Environment Secretary Heherson Alvarez had canceled the application of the mining project in 2001 after a study from the department showed the mining site would touch on a critical area of the watershed. However, Michael “Mike” Defensor, who replaced Alvarez, reinstated the mining application in 2005.

On October 14, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza signed the ECC, despite an outstanding mining moratorium in Oriental Mindoro based on the provincial ordinance enacted by the Sanggu-niang Panlalawigan pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991, which empowers local governments to enact laws to protect the environment and mineral resources.

Besides the negative impact of the mining activity on the indigenous people living on the border of Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Constantino said the project also poses a threat to the Tamaraw conservation area located within the Occidental Mindoro’s watershed.

The Tamaraw, which is endemic to the island of Mindoro, has been listed an endangered specie by the conservation group International Union for Conservation of Nature in Switzerland.

Furthermore, Gov. Josephine Ramirez-Sato of Occidental Min-doro said the mining operation may also imperil the country’s food security as the province is one of the main grain producers in the Philippines.
Ramirez-Sato stressed that based of DENR Administration Order 9640 series of 1996, the Environment department should validate first the effect of the mining company to the environment before issuing an ECC.

“If they have the authority on mining, we have the authority in the local government. We would stand by our strong opposition to mining,” Sato said.

Vice Gov. Mario Gene Mendiola of Occidental Mindoro added that there are 180 pending application for mining operations in the province because it is rich in minerals, particularly nickel and gold.