Port Construction Turned Into Magnetite Mining In Catanduanes

ABS-CBN's news anchor Corina Sanchez reports on magnetite mining in Bagamanoc, Catanduanes.

Barangay Manambrag

This is Manambrag, a barangay of San Andres (Calolbon) Catanduanes. I never gone to this place yet but it looks like a small peaceful village. According to August 2007 Census, she has an overall population of 2,582.

I never thought that there are other places aside from Carmoran that are located alongside the western seaboard of Catanduanes.

Like A Mixture Of Oil And Water

CATANDUANES - It is somewhat amusing that recent developments in Catanduanes could be likened to a mixture of oil and water. On one side, an ore magnetite extraction and coal mining, while on the other side are renewable energy plants - hydro and wind.

These power plants in the pipeline right now, will provide us with clean cheap source of energy harnessed using natural elements. A cheap power would encourage industrialists to invest in manufacturing plants in Catanduanes to process our raw materials like the abaca, which is as of now, abundant in our island. Eventually this will make every Catandungans to have a reason to be proud of.

Economically, renewable energy plants will substantially reduce our reliance to expensive crude oil that fuels our double digit inflation.

On one side, mining would strip our forest cover, dredge our seabeds, affect our wildlife's natural habitat, displace some farms and fishing grounds. And worst, flood related stress and increased anxiety levels would no longer be alien to lowlanders during heavy rain.

In addition, the taxes that would be paid by the mining company to our municipal treasury would only end up as a budget for strengthening our river dikes to protect us from floods, annual rehabilitation of bridges and road repairs because it would be plied by very heavy earth moving machines.

Two different scenarios of development that perhaps, one day would obviously split Catanduanes apart, Northern Catanduanes on the north and Southern Catanduanes on the south, just like a mixture of oil and water.

Philippine Mining Act of 1995

With the recent issue of magnetite ore mining overwhemingly opposed by residents in the town of Bagamanoc and recently moved the mining site off the coast of Panganiban (Payo), I am compelled to post this Mining Act to serve as reference.

"Republic Act No. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (“Act”) is the governing law that regulates mineral resources development in the country. One of the primary objectives of this act is to revitalize the ailing Philippine mining industry by providing fiscal reforms and incentives and maintaining a viable inventory of mineral reserves to sustain the industry through the infusion of fresh capital through direct investments to finance mineral exploration and/or development activities. The original implementing rules and regulations of the Act was prepared in 1995, and was revised in 1996 under DENR Administrative Order 96 – 40, the revised implementing rules and regulations (RIRR).

Collectively, the Act and its RIRR take into consideration the following:

• Local government empowerment
• Respect and concern for the indigenous cultural communities
• Equitable sharing of benefits and natural wealth
• Demands of present generation while providing the foundation for future generations
• Worldwide trend towards globalization
• Protection for and wise management of the environment

The law also contain social and environmental safety nets far stronger than previous mining laws, rules and regulations. It has:

Built-in protection for the Indigenous Peoples (IP) through the prior informed consent requirement, one of, if not the only mining law in the world that contains such requirement, even pre-dating the free and prior informed consent (FPIC) requirement of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997;

Competitive fiscal regime. The fiscal regime is a major consideration among the investor's criteria for investment. The key concern of investors is not the fiscal regime per se, but the overall profitability of the project after considering the taxes. The fiscal regime of the Philippines is considered competitive not only in Asia but throughout the world, according to an independent study by the Institute for Global Resources Policy and Management of the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in the United States in 2000;

Equitable sharing of the benefits of mining among the major stakeholders – the national and local government, the communities and the mining company. Under the fiscal regime, the benefits of mining of mining are approximately shared at 50%:50% between the government and the contractor. The 50% is further divided into 50% for the national government, 10% for the provincial government and 20% each for the municipality and host barangays; and

Environmental and social provisions comparable, if not better than similar provisions in mining laws of established countries. During the World Bank Mine Closure and Sustainable Development Workshop in 2000, the Philippines was among the nations considered to “have (a) comprehensive policy and legislation that provides for both comprehensive mine closure and post-mining sustainable development”. The Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) was also cited as a “tool for community participation”. The SDMP is meant for the development of the host and neighboring communities and is managed by the communities themselves together with the mining company and guidance by the Government and site-base NGOs. In addition, the national wealth sharing scheme, provided under the Local Government Code of 1991 where 40% of mining taxes collected by the national government is flowed back to the communities was cited as “one of the only few wealth sharing scheme of such nature in the world”.

The revised implementing rules and regulations of the Mining Act provides strict adherence to the principles of Sustainable Development which should encompass the economic, social and environmental aspects of human development."

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Rice, Not Mines, Urges Philippines Report - On 9 February at the launch of a new report at Westminster titled, Philippines: Mining or Food?
• DOE Allows Mining of Rich Coal Deposits in Catanduanes - The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the mining of this island province’s estimated 1.2 million metric tons of high-quality coal deposits.
• Port Construction Turned Into Magnetite Mining in Catanduanes - Report on port construction in Bagamanoc Catanduanes turned into magnetite mining.
• Responsible Mining Easier Said Than Done - Lesson of this south Pacific island nation, once boasted the second-highest per capita GDP in the world thanks to its fabled phosphate mines, Nauru is today destitute..

Pinoy Funny Signages

A friend forwarded this by email. It contains photos of road signs, job openings and product advertisements made by Pinoys in their effort to earn a living, hire, help others find their way and to shout their undying love. Please view the slideshow.

Why I Live In The Philippines?

A friend named "Maeng Ni" posted this. Lahat ng sinabi niya nakakatuwa at totoo... When I travel, people often ask me why I live in the Philippines ? Well here it is...

It is the only place on earth where...

• Every street has a basketball court.
• Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed.
• Doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.
• Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.
• School is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.
• Call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.
• Everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.
• Mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.
• Everything can be forged.
• All kinds of animals are edible.
• Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.
• Driving 4 kms can take as much as four hours.
• Flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.
• Crossing the street involves running for your dear life.
• The personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster.
• Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!
• Where 4 a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.
• People can pay to defy the law.
• Everything and everyone is spoofed.
• Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (peke)!
• The honking of car horns is a way of life.
• Being called a bum is never offensive.
• Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.
• Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.
• Where wearing your national colors make you baduy.
• Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones. (GSM-galing sa (magnanakaw) .
• Where insurance does not work.
• Where water can only be classified as tap and dirty.
• Clean water is for sale (35 pesos per gallon).
• Where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (Amen to that!)
• Where University of the Philippines where all the weird people go.
• Ateneo is where all the nerds go.
• La Salle is where all the Chinese go.
• College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid Chinese go and;
• University of Asia and the Pacific is where all the irrelevantly rich people go.
• Fast food is a diet meal.
• Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.
• Where being mugged is normal and It happens to everyone.
• Rodents are normal house pets.
• The definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles.
• Where the fighter planes of the 1940s are used for military engagements and;
• The new fighter planes are displayed in museums.
• Where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.
• Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.
• Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment.
• People can get away with stealing trillions of pesos but not a thousand.
• Where being an hour late is still considered punctual. (Grabe talaga 'to!)
• Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) - than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries.
• And where everyone wants to leave the country!
  

What's Happening To Us!

I found this alert in my inbox this morning... Pls be careful. Dont accept even calling cards from strangers per incident below. Even calling cards are not safe!!!!

A man came over and offered his services as a painter to a female putting gas in her car and left his card. She said no, but accepted his card out of kindness and got in the car. The man then got into a car driven by another gentleman. As the lady left the service station, she saw the men following her out of the station at the same time. Almost immediately, she started to feel dizzy and could not catch her breath. She tried to open the window and realized that the odor was on her hand; the same hand which accepted the card from the gentleman at the gas station.

She then noticed the men were immediately behind her and she felt she needed to do something at that moment. She drove into the first driveway and began to honk her horn repeatedly to ask for help. The men drove away but the lady still felt pretty bad for several minutes after she could finally catch her breath. Apparently ,there was a substance on the card that could have seriously injured her.

This drug is called 'BURUNDANGA' and it is used by people who wish to incapacitate a victim in order to steal from or take advantage of them like REPEATED GANG RAPE. This drug is four times more dangerous than the date rape drug and is transferable on simple cards. So take heed and make sure you don't accept cards at any given time alone or from someone on the streets. This applies to those making house calls and slipping you a card when they offer their services

PLEASE SEND THIS E-MAIL ALERT TO EVERY FEMALE YOU KNOW

Don't trust even foreigners or men with female allies... evil cannot be determined by their looks .

Bagamanoc's Location

Whenever, I go to Bagamanoc town to buy some fresh fish at the coastline, I never failed to notice the damaged concrete structures nearby, which according to locals were one time residential houses.

At the ground level, it is very hard to imagine the extent of the damaged done by the rising sea level and the location's vulnerabilities.

Perhaps these pictures would give a better perspective for our local leaders, policy makers and as well as ordinary people like us, that indeed there is reason to be alarmed and to take appropriate action.

Second picture, is a bird's eye view at northeast angle. This point is where the northeast moonson originates that batters northeastern municipalities during the last and first quarter of the year.

The last picture was taken at the east angle of the island.

Note the entry points for Pacific swell during typhoons and tsunami in case the epicenter is located at the northeastern or eastern seaboard.

Given this scenario, I think our town planners and policy makers should not rely on fatalism when making decisions that would endanger lives, properties and environment in the future.

The 65.5% Question

I was reading this item from NCSB dated May 2007 about Poverty Threshold in Urban and Rural Areas - Bicol. And it never came to me as a surprise regarding their findings.

...The disparity in the cost of living between rural and urban areas is highest in Catanduanes where living in the urban areas cost 65.5 percent higher than living in the rural areas. Among provinces, urban areas in Catanduanes have the highest annual per capita poverty threshold reaching P22,841. On the other hand, cost of living in urban areas in Masbate is only 13.3 percent higher than living in the rural areas of the province. Masbate has the lowest urban and rural per capita poverty thresholds - May 16, 2007 NCSB.

Many would asked including me. Why?

Perhaps In Our Wildest Dreams

There is something fishy about these proposed projects like the shipyard and fish port in the northeastern shores of Panganiban and Bagamanoc towns. While we aspire for a better future for our community, we also need to be analytical and discerning...read more