Mindoro executives hit ECC for mining project

MANILA, Philippines - Provincial and local officials as well as Church-based and non-government organizations in Mindoro have declared “war” against the move of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza to issue an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for a nickel mining project in the province last Oct. 14.

In a press conference yesterday, the Mindoro officials and leaders led by Governors Josephine Ramirez-Sato and Arnan Panaligan of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, respectively, vowed to fight “all the way” the ECC for the 11,216.6-hectare Mindoro Nickel Mining Project, and called on the national government, particularly Atienza and especially President Arroyo, to heed their demand and respect their resolution for a moratorium on mining in their province.

They lamented that their repeated pleas and opposition to the project were “set aside and ignored” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The mining project is said to cover four towns – Victoria, Pola and Socorro in Oriental Mindoro, and Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro. 

Specifically, the project would affect some 9,000 hectares in Occidental Mindoro, and another 3,000 hectares in Oriental Mindoro.

Although the project appears to only cover a smaller land area in Oriental Mindoro compared to Occidental Mindoro, Vice Gov. Mario Gene Mendiola said the project site in Oriental Mindoro would be “more dangerous” because it will include mountain slopes.

“We oppose this project not because we are against the national government’s thrust on large-scale mining. We oppose this project because its ECC is irregular. It would seem that the process for this ECC was done summarily,” said Oriental Mindoro Gov. Arnan Panaligan.