Duterte: Philippines has to take stand vs mining

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should “make a stand” on mining within the year, President Duterte said yesterday, as he expressed willingness to forgo part of the state revenues contributed by the sector in favor of measures to preserve marine life. 

Duterte said mining is “destroying the land” and has caused soil erosion that affected the livelihood of fishermen. 

“Somehow, the country has to make a stand at least before next year, of how to go about it,” the President said.  

“Mining industry gives us about P70 billion. It will slightly decrease but then, we will save most of our marine life, our tributaries, our rivers,” he added. 

Duterte said traveling by helicopter would allow one to see the extent of damage caused by mining. 

“Those of you who have traveled Mindanao at low altitude, you will see the seriousness of the soil erosion that goes to the sea and destroying the marine life... the color of the water is not even brown, it’s black and it goes to the sea,” he said. 

“We have to make a stand. Either you are with me on this or I go solo. Basta ayoko na (I don’t want it anymore) it has caused so much destruction,” he added. 

Last July, Duterte stressed he was bent on banning open-pit mining, saying the method has caused destruction in the environment and has triggered landslides.  

In 2016, the environment department under former secretary Gina Lopez enforced a ban on open pit mining, believing the tailings associated with mining triggered disasters. She also ordered the closure of more than 20 mining firms that violated environmental regulations.

Lopez’s appointment was blocked by the mining industry stakeholders who thought she had a bias against large-scale mining.