Cagayan mining creates social division

Cagayan mining creates social division

Many Cagayanos watched GMA 7’s Reporter’s Notebook last April 21 which featured, among others, the conduct of mining along the coastal areas in Cagayan. Many were alarmed that heavy equipment are used in a supposed small scale mining operations in these areas. Truth to tell coastal mining in Cagayan had already opened social wounds and divisions among friends and relatives.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in his press release recently urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to strictly implement the statutory ban on quarrying and mining along seashores and to impose sanctions on individuals and companies engaged in this pernicious activity.

Pimentel stressed that “the extraction of black sands on beach areas within a radius of 200 meters from the shores – known as salvage zone – destroys the natural protective barrier that prevents seawater from overflowing and causing floods in coastal villages.”

“All mining and quarrying activities on seashore areas should be completely discontinued and banned because of the damage to the environment they are causing. Not only do they render the coastal communities vulnerable to natural disasters. They also cause degradation of adjoining agricultural lands because of the resulting intrusion of sea water,” Pimentel said.

“DENR and local government officials who have recklessly allowed these illegal and reprehensible activities should be held liable and criminally charged for flagrant violation of environment and mining laws,” Pimentel added.

It is very unfortunate that these environment and mining laws are ignored and unashamedly violated for the sake of economic interest. The mining operations may create employment and a rich source of national income but these are outweighed by the long-term social cost and ill effects to the environment. When these mining operations close, we presume that the foreign investors will not own the responsibility of the damaged done to the environment. The cost shall be borne by the people with environment problems to contend with while the foreign investors and local counterparts enjoy their prosperity here and abroad.