Environment groups urge Cimatu to sustain Lopez reforms

MANILA, Philippines — Groups are urging Environment department chief Roy Cimatu to continue the reforms instituted by former head Gina Lopez and not reverse orders that will favor the country’s mining industry.

Green Thumb Coalition, a network of environment groups, called on Cimatu to sustain and expand the reform gains of Lopez, particularly on the closure and suspension of several mining firms.

“The exit of Lopez means the entry again of the interest of the big industries. There’s a big possibility that he [Cimatu] will just favor mining companies if we try to look at his track record,” Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Reuben Muni told The STAR on the sidelines of the coalition’s briefing Thursday.

“There can be no such thing as responsible mining given the flaws in the regulations and laws concerning the mining industry,” he added.

READ: Cimatu to allow responsible mining

The mining industry is optimistic that the new DENR administration will reverse the orders issued by Lopez during her 10-month stint.

These include the closure and suspension of some 28 mining companies, cancellation of 75 more mining contracts, the banning of the open pit mining method nationwide and the collection of unexplainable fees.

READ: Miners optimistic with appointment of new DENR chief Roy Cimatu

“It’s worrisome because Cimatu’s statement on responsible mining is the same statement of the mining companies,” Convergence of Initiatives for Environmental Justice campaigner Rene Pamplano said.

“Responsible mining is a fallback position of the industry when they could not defend their original proposal to promote sustainable mining. He may not see the importance of a healthy ecosystem to a healthy economy,” Muni added.

Furthermore, the groups continue to express concern over the track record of the former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, as well as disappointment with President Rodrigo Duterte for choosing Cimatu.

“Why is he in a hurry to appoint a new secretary and why did he not firmly stand by Lopez? We need to know who the endorsers and backers of Cimatu are to establish the motives of those people,” Muni said.

They also urged Cimatu to pursue an investigation to find out the extent of corruption within the DENR.

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While the coalition is not fully supportive of the new DENR chief, the group said it is already arranging a meeting with Cimatu in the coming days.

“If the decision of Lopez will be challenged, we will exhaust all means to ensure that that decision will remain. But we are giving him the benefit of the doubt, he should just prove us wrong,” Muni said.

“We understand that he will be studying the issues, but he has a steep learning curve toward the issues, and that’s a big advantage of Lopez because she’s been exposed to those issues on the ground,” he added.