Veritas, Scientia et Communitas: Mining: The Surigao del Norte, Philippines Experience

The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,109 islands and islets. Located within the Pacific Rim of Fire, our archipelago was formed through outpourings of earth's interior to the surface hypothesized, approximately 43 million years ago (mya). This formation create a favorable settings for mineral deposition close enough to the surface for extraction earning Philippines a respectful 5th placers as the most mineral rich country.

Caraga Administrative Region (Region XII) is a regional administrative unit in the Philippines. It is compose of of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands.

Figure 1. Google map showing the Caraga Admistrative Region.

Figure 2. Google map showing the northern part of the Caraga Administrative Region.

Eco-tourism is one of the major economic contributor in Caraga Region with its enticingly beautiful scenery flank by Pacific Ocean on the East and Bohol Sea on the West. Along with eco-tourism, the agriculture, fishery and forestry are among the banner economic activities. Lack of governmental support in place and security concerns in Mindanao (although some are unfairly magnified by the media) leads to unavoidable diminishing profits among stakeholders. The Philippines back then needed to accelerate industrialization for economic prosperity hence a pro-development, pro-industrialization plan was instituted in the mid-1990s. This allow private sector in partnership with the government, to exploit mineral resources in a responsible manner except in Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and National Capital Region (NCR).

Today, 20 years later, Caraga Region particularly the Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur are among the top producers of nickel and other minerals. What is the implication of mining ? Aren't it suppose to benefit the our nation first ? Environmental impact assessment indicates that mining almost always produce undesirable consequences to the environment, to the surrounding population in terms of economic activity remotely involve in mining. There are numerous reports that divulge the mining route to shipped minerals to foreign country. If these reports were validated, then this act undermined the very plan for industrialization that will eventually benefit Filipinos. Contrary to national plan, it will firstly benefit the foreign country without them to fret about how to restore the environment in the mining site. I'm not against mining, but I do care on the pros and cons it have particularly in terms of economic analysis in its totality and on its impact on our posterity. Insofar as I can be ascertained, I do not see a single repulsive reason on DENR Sec. Gina Lopez decision to suspend selected mining company towards that effect. The horrendous consequences of mining can be clearly seen in Claver, Surigao del Sur.