House approves bills declaring CDO, Catanduanes mining-free

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has declared Cagayan de Oro City and Catanduanes mining-free local government units (LGUs).

The chamber approved on third and final reading two bills banning mining in these areas.

Two other measures declaring Nueva Vizcaya and Eastern Samar mining-free are awaiting approval.

The bills, authored by representatives of the concerned LGUs, contain similar provisions. The committee on environment and natural resources endorsed their approval.

The proposed laws declare that it is the State’s policy “to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful economy… Toward this end, the State shall protect the people and the environment… from the adverse effects of mining.”

They define mining as the “extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth and shall include such mining activities as exploration, feasibility, development, utilization and processing, and large-scale quarry operations involving cement raw materials, marble, granite, sand and gravel construction aggregates.”

However, quarrying of gravel and sand for pro-jects directly undertaken by national government agencies or the affected LGUs would be exempted from the proposed laws but subject to existing mining and environmental regulations.

Existing miners, if there are any, would be given time to relocate.

Violators would face imprisonment of six to 12 years and a fine of P100,000 to P500,000.

If the violator were a corporation or association, the president and general manager, or agent or representative, in case of a foreign entity, would suffer the punishment.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources would be mandated to issue rules and regulations.

The approved bills would be sent shortly to the Senate, which usually respects the decision of the House on measures with local application.