MAP-Oz Slams Baguio Mines Safety Confab

Mining Action Philippines-Australia (MAP-Oz) composed of various Filipino and Australian groups and organisatons, with aims of monitoring, assessing, evaluating and exposing various environmental and human and indigenous peoples rights issues of Australian mining companies in the Philippines criticized the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) which invited Australian mining investors to an annual mines safety conference which ends today.

While the people of the Philippines suffered a series of typhoons and mining disasters, PMSEA is still promoting responsible mining for a strong republic, the Philippines, which recently enacted the Climate Change Law.

The Australian government recently granted the Philippines Php 123 million aid which seeks to mainstream disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in local land use plans and processes. The hypocrisy in this type of financial aid, while promoting Australian mining investment is obscene. Not only does mining contribute a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, mining also produces toxic waste which prove a deadly risk in the face of extreme weather conditions and climate change. The influx of carbon intensive, waste producing mining ventures, will defeat the very purpose of the aid.’ said Mia Pepper of Friends of the Earth Melbourne, the coordinator of MAP-Oz.

‘We find it ironic if not hypocritical of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and DENR Secretary Joselito Atienza to be calling themselves climate change czars before the Filipino people that they are on top of a low-carbon economy when clearly this confab supports a highly extractive industry that will add more GHGs in the atmosphere and worst, further put vulnerable communities especially the indigenous groups who are directly affected by mining operations and who are incapable of adapting to the impacts climate change in grave danger, ” exclaimed Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), the Philippine convener of MAP-Oz.

The Philippines ranks the world’s fourth most disaster-prone country based on the 2004 Global Climate Risk Index. This innate vulnerability – geographic, climatic and physical characteristics is compounded by intertwined problems of poor governance reflective of high poverty incidence, expanding population, political strifes, growing environmental degradation and natural resource depletion brought by the aggressive promotion of extractive industries such as mining in the country.

Didipio Case on Channel Seven Australia

GROUPS CONDEMN ILLEGAL DEMOLITION AND VIOLENT DISPERSAL OF MINING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (NV)– Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and a people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide, condemns the illegal demolition and violent dispersal of the residents from communities, which hosts an Australian mining company owned by OceanaGold Corp. Inc. (OGPI). The incident happened last October 2 Barangay Didipio, where OGPI’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) covers 23 barangays in Kasibu.

Reports from human rights workers of ATM partner organizations, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) and the Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights), narrated that there were allegedly approximately 100 heavily armed men, who arrived at Sitio Dinauyan at around 8:00AM, to carry out a demolition order for the house of Elmer Lawagan located at the foot of Dinkidi Hill, the open pit mining site of OGPI.

The demolition crew was believed to be a composite team of police operatives from the regional, provincial, and municipal government of NV. The crew was faced with the resistance from more than 100 residents from Didipio who formed a human barricade to oppose the demolition. The residents believe that if OGPI succeeds in demolishing Lawagan’s house, their homes would be next. Some residents who joined the barricade were from the villages living in or adjacent to Dinkidi Hill in Sitio Dinauyan, which is home to at least 100 families, where the proposed site for the mine tailings dam is located.

Violence broke out between the two groups when the Philippine National Police (PNP) troops tried to forcefully break the people’s barricade using teargas, truncheons and shields, while residents defended themselves with the use of water mixed with chili pepper splashed to the agressors. Kasibu Mayor Romeo Tayaban and Didipio Barangay Captain Malou Nablol were both present to negotiate with the PNP. Witnesses said that apart from the beating experienced by some residents, 5 teargases were thrown to the barricaders. Casualties from the teargas include at least 7 barricaders. Some of the harmed still experience headaches and other discomfort from the teargas after the incident. The demolition crew was forced to pull back and leave the area when the 3-day Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) upon the request of Lawagan’s counsel was communicated past 11:00AM of the same day.

“We condemn the harm experienced by the people of Didipio in the arms of those who were supposedly mandated to protect them, said ATM Coordinator Jaybee Garganera. There were irregularities in the execution of the demolition order. To enumerate some: the unnecessary use of violence by throwing teargas, truncheons and shield to disperse the barricade; and policemen carrying firearms in the dispersal of the protesting residents, which is against the normal procedures in executing a demolition order. Two criminology students from St. Marys University Bayombong were allegedly part of the police contingent that were the ones who lobbed the teargas.” added Garganera.

To date, the RTC issued an order granting the extension of the TRO for 20 days and setting a hearing on October 19, 2009 at 10:30AM to determine whether or not a writ of preliminary injunction will be issued. Despite the favorable TRO issued, residents and their support groups vowed to remain diligent in protecting the rights of residents against any illegal and violent action by OGPI.

PhilRights Executive Director Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan said, ““We trust that Chairperson Leila de Lima of the Commission on Human Rights will look into this urgent matter. We request the CHR to immediately send a team of investigators to Barangay Didipio to verify these alleged incidents of human rights violations and abuses to facilitate redress for victims, especially Elmer Lawagan, and to hold the perpetrators liable for their actions. CHR's timely and decisive intervention is vital to ensure that due process and respect for human rights would prevail in the court decision and course of action subsequently undertaken."

OGPI’s Didipio Gold and Copper Project was granted with an FTAA since 1998 and is expected to produce an average 120,000 ounces of gold and 15,000 tonnes of copper for 15 years. After a decade of its presence in the Didipio, no mine production was made by the company. Furthermore, OGPI has placed its operation under “care and maintenance” in December 2008 due to financial and management problems of the company.

According to Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) Executive Director Judy Pasimio, co-convenor of ATM, this implies that OGPI has lost its legal eligibility to carry out its obligations under the FTAA with government. In fact, DENR itself has declared to take over OGPI facility in January 2009 in the event that the company cannot operate within six (6) months.

“For this year alone, OGPI has already displaced more than a hundred indigenous families in Didipio. Furthermore, the companys aggressive fencing, which include closing of accustomed public way and the installation of check points covered by their FTAA have restricted what used to be free movement of the residents in the area. Now, communities feel that they are deprived of their rights to their own land and majority of the residents already lost their faith and trust in OGPI. LRC submitted a demand letter dated September 23, 2009 to the DENR to act upon and take necessary steps to finally carry out the CLOSURE of the Didipio mining tenement of OGPI,” concluded Pasimio.

Update - Statement regarding Berong Nickel Operations Update

20 August 2009

Operational Update - Berong Nickel

Toledo Mining Corporation plc ("Toledo" or the "Company") (AIM:TMC) advises that a third shipment of ore was shipped to BHP Billiton's ("BHP") Yabulu refinery from the Berong mine on Palawan island, Philippines, on 11 August 2009. The shipment contained 48,108 tonnes of ore at 1.5% nickel (approximately 481 tonnes contained nickel on a dry basis) and 30% iron.

Due to severe bad weather caused by tropical storms, the transhipment of ore from barge to the ship moored offshore was severely delayed. BHP has lodged a claim for demurrage, the amount of which is being contested by Berong Nickel Corporation ("Berong") which declared force majeure during the ship loading. Even taking account of BHP's claim, the shipment is cash positive to Berong.

Berong has now completed the shipment of stockpile material which meets the BHP specification. Approximately 150,000 wet metric tonnes of ore remain on the stockpile at Berong for which Toledo continues to seek customers.

The contract between Berong and BHP calls for a minimum shipment of 300,000 wet metric tonnes per annum to the Yabulu refinery of Queensland Nickel. So far this year, only approximately half of this contracted amount has been taken

It was reported in July that BHP has reached agreement in principle to sell the Yabulu refinery to Professor Clive Palmer. The consequences of this development for the timing of future shipments from Berong to Yabulu are under discussion.

Ends.

Reg Eccles, Chairman, Toledo Mining Corporation 44 (0) 20 7514 1480 plc Richard Greenfield, Ambrian Partners Limited 44 (0) 20 7634 4700 Alex Buck, BuckBias Limited 44 (0) 7932 740 452

END OF MESSAGE

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Soccsksargen grows slower in ’08, down 4.6% from 2007’s 6.7%

Written by Jerry Adlaw / Correspondent
Thursday, 30 July 2009 22:51, Business Mirror

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/13937-soccsksargen-grows-slower-in-08-down-46-from-2007s-67.html

Drilling machine of SMI in the mountains of Tampakan, South Cotabato.

THE economy of Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos) region grew at a slower pace by registering a 4.6-percent growth in 2008 from its robust performance of 6.7 percent in 2007. The deceleration was caused by slowdown in all three of its major sectors.

The agriculture, forestry and fisheries (AFF), the biggest contributor to the regional economy which accounted for 42.9 percent of the region’s total output, decelerated to 6.7 percent from a remarkable growth of 7.8 percent recorded in 2007.

The favorable performances turned in by fishery and livestock were not able to cushion the lower growths posted by corn, coconut, banana, pineapple, rubber and other crops, as well as poultry.

Sugarcane production posted a remarkable growth, attributed to the higher demand for muscovado sugar in the local and international markets.

Sugarcane is also being eyed as an alternative source of biofuels. The industry sector, which accounted for about 31 percent of the region’s total economic output, posted a sluggish performance as it slowed down from a 6.9-percent growth in 2007 to a modest 3.5-percent growth in 2008. All industry subsectors experienced a slowdown.

Manufacturing, which accounted for the biggest share of the total industry output, dropped from 5.4 percent to 3.4 percent, mining and quarrying from 9.1 percent to 3.9 percent, and construction from 18.1 percent to 5.8 percent.

Electricity and water contracted to negative 1.5 percent in 2008 from a 4.1-percent growth in 2007 due to reduced power generation of the Mt. Apo geothermal plants located in Cotabato province.

Services, which comprised 26.1 percent of the region’s economy, slipped down to 2.7 percent in 2008 from 4.7 percent in 2007 as all subsector outputs declined except for ownership of dwellings and real estate (ODRE). Government services grew by only 0.6 percent in 2008 from 5.7 percent in 2007; finance, 3.5 percent from 5.8 percent; and private services, 4.1 percent from 5.3 percent.

Odre more than doubled its growth as it went up from 1.2 percent to 2.8 percent, and government services substantially grew from 3.6 percent in 2007 to 6.9 percent in 2008.

AFF posted the biggest contribution to the GRDP growth at 2.8 percentage points followed by the industry sector at 1.1 percentage point and the services sector at 0.7 percentage point.

Real figures per capita GRDP increased by 2.3 percent from P12,499 in 2007 to P12,792 in 2008.

A region’s gross domestic product, or GRDP, is defined as the market value of all final goods and services produced within a region in a given period. It is considered as the single most-important indicator of economic performance. The GRDP is compiled on an annual basis by the National Statistical Coordination Board.

Sagittarius Mines Inc., based in Tampakan, South Cotabato, said that based on their records, Philippine mineral wealth is estimated to be 30.8 billion metric tons, 11.8 billion tons of which is metallic.

These vast resources were found in 77 percent of the country’s 76 provinces. In spite of the vast popular opposition among the affected communities, especially the highlander tribes and other cause-oriented groups like church-based organizations who go against the exploration activities of these mining companies, efforts remained unheard by the concerned Congress and Senate, said Bishop Dinualdo Gutierez, DD, of the Catholic Diocese of Marbel in Koronadal City.

“The dream to make the Philippines a newly industrializing country is a nightmare to the masses after former President Fidel V. Ramos approved the financial and technical assistance agreement [FTAA] that would leave behind the uncertainty of environmental fight against the mining firms all over the country,” Gutierez said.

Gutierez stressed that their fight against mining in Tampakan operated by Sagittarius Mines is still ongoing despite some inconsistences of the national government.

“During the administration [of former President Ramos], he not only sold the people’s interests to greedy foreign investors, but also the soul of the Filipinos, as foreign policy dictates and controls us,” Cecile Diono, spokesperson of the Freedom from Debt Coalition, said.

Diono said that Republic Act 7947, known as the Mining Act, invites foreign investors to open the country’s vast mineral resources through the FTAA, and upon crafting the FTAA, allows transnational and multinational corporations to engage in open-pit mining activities in the Philippines.

“The FTAA....[is] implemented without further restrictions and prohibitions regardless of the impact that these mining activities may bring to the local populace,” Diono said.

Fr. Roming Cathedral, director of the Justice and Peace Desk of the Diocese of Marbel, in a statement said they will not stop fighting against the mining firms operating in South Cotabato, especially SMI Mining Co., as they will strongly stand to stop its activities at all costs.

OceanaGold may ramp up mining activities in RP

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168725/OceanaGold-may-ramp-up-mining-activities-in-RP


Mining firm OceanaGold Corp. may expand activities of its ongoing exploration of its gold prospect in Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya

The company was able to renew six exploration permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources late in the second quarter.

In a statement, OceanaGold, whose parent company is an Australian firm, said that various exploration activities may begin in the third quarter.

But despite these planned expansion activities, the company said operations remained subdued while the Didipio project is still undergoing care and maintenance.

OceanaGold president Jose Leviste said that some field work and desk-top based exploration activities were initiated under the assumption that a number of exploration permits are likely to be approved in the near-term.

The company said it continues to review its mining plan for Didipio.

About $120 million has been spent for exploration and development of the mine site while some $200 million is needed to finance construction works.

Oceana Gold holds a financial and technical assistance agreement (FTAA) with the Philippine government.

An FTAA is an agreement with the government that allows 100 percent foreign equity in a local mining project. Its mining tenement is located in the municipality of Didipio in Nueva Vizcaya.

The proposed development comprises four years of open mining, followed by at least 11 years of subsequent underground sub-level caving operations, totaling an expected minimum 15 years of processing operations.

The Company holds exploration licenses, license applications, and option agreements in the Surigao Peninsula area of North Eastern Mindanao, including Paco which was granted a tenement, Mayag, Asiga and Manhulayan.

OceanaGold Corp. is a significant Pacific Rim gold producer with projects located in the South Island of New Zealand and in the Philippines. It is listed in the Toronto, Australia and New Zealand Stock Exchange.

OceanaGold has been reported to the Philippine Commission on Human Rights for its injustices and human rights violations committed against local communities and indigenous peoples. The case has been raised to the United Nations' Permanent Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Various articles on a fact finding report can be accessed here.

Unjust house demolitions and displacement can be briefly viewed in the video clip below with Oxfam Australia's investigation.

State of the Indigenous Peoples 2009

(Philippine Indigenous Peoples during SIPA 2009. Photo by LRC-KsK/FoE Phils.)

Quezon City, Philippines–As the nation awaits Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s state of the nation address, over 100 representatives from indigenous organizations and support groups from all over Luzon gathered today , bringing to the table the true state of the indigenous peoples.

“The IP voice has been absent in all previous SONAs,” said Zenaida Hamada-Pawid, an IP delegate from Baguio City. “Through this State of the Indigenous Peoples Address (SIPA) we can discuss our situation in our own words. We will then work towards consolidation of IP leadership, support groups and advocacy groups so as to forward a strong and substantial agenda.”

“Through this SIPA we want to preempt Arroyo’s attempts to paint another rosy picture full of glossy facts and figures and lists of development projects. We want people to know that it is these same projects which are responsible for the many problems indigenous communities face today, from mining to coal plants to large dams,” Ronald Gregorio of Legal Rights and Natural Reources Center-Luzon (LRC-KsK) said.

“Under the Arroyo administration, we have been witness to the intensification of militarization in IP areas. Systematic landgrabbing is happening at an alarming rate to serve the interests of mining, logging and other extractive industries,” Joan Jaime, secretary general of the Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) revealed.

From Capas, Tarlac, leaders Bayani Sumaoang and Lito Diaz from the federation Labayku (Lupon ng mga Katutubong Aeta para sa Bagong Adhikain upang Yumabong ang Kabundukan at Umunlad ang bawat isa) came in the face of a formidable issue. The delineation of their ancestral domain has currently been stalled by a boundary conflict with the Philippine Air Force’s Crow Valley military reservation.

“Gusto po sana naming makaharap ang iba pang grupong katutubo upang makakuha kami ng karanasan at inspirasyon mula sa sarili nila pakikibaka,” Manong Bayani said. The SIPA, organized by LRC-KsK, a research and policy advocacy institution primarily working with IPs, is scheduled specifically to coincide with the Presidents’ yearly State of the Nation Address.

This year’s SIPA, with the theme “Continuing the Historical Struggle for the Right to Self-Determination” is the second, following last year, which was held in Toril, Davao. There are two regional gatherings simultaneously being held in Quezon City for the Luzon communities, and in Cagayan de Oro for the Mindanao communities. “This SIPA is our protest to GMA’s SONA,” says Judy A. Pasimio of LRC.

“This SIPA will also serve as a common platform for indigenous peoples to forward their agenda, and for us advocates to support their struggle for self-determination.” The SIPA 2009 (Luzon) is a 3-day activity at the University of the Philippines College of Social Welfare and Community Development (UP-CSWCD), from July 26-28, 2009.