Over-all there will be 2.7 billions tonnes of rock and tailings: 1.6 waste rock and 1.1 tailing.
In addition, a mountain of toxic waste rock.
These pose very serious threat not only to living beings – human, flora and fauna, but also to structures: homes, public buildings, bridges, etc.
As of 13 October 2011, 106,047 signatures were gathered asking President Benigno S.C. Aquino, III to protect the watershed at Tampakan by prohibiting mining operations.
Breakdown: Kidapawan – 9,293; Digos – 38,766; and Marbel – 57,988.
Breakdown, Marbel 57,988: Marbel – 10,365. Lagao – 5,970. Surallah – 5,020. Calumpang – 4,589. Glan – 3,402. Cannery – 3,193. Polomolok – 2, 678. Fatima – 2,581. Tampakan – 2,126. Banga – 2,109. Tantangan – 2, 073. Bula – 2,068. Alabel – 1,846. Maasim – 1,274. T’boli – 1,129. Tupi – 898. Maitum – 821. Kiamba – 616. Non-parishes: Catholic Mission to the Indigenous People (Passionist) – 2,512. Healing, Fr. Suarez, NDMU – 1,347. Campus Ministry-NDMU – 1,013. Chancery – 358.
We request the following parishes to campaign for signatures, which campaign is educational: Dadiangas, Malapatan, Malungon, Norala, St. Michael Archangel, Sto. Niño and Lake Sebu (future parish).
Fifteen representatives from Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos met on 14 October 2011 at Marbel Bishop’s Residence.
Total signatures gathered against open pit mining: 106,047. Marbel – 57,988. Digos – 38,766. Kidapawan – 9,293. These will be presented to President Aquino when two bishops and some representatives will meet with the President.
The 15 members present agreed to petition President Aquino to declare protected areas these mountain ranges: Roxas which separates Allah Valley and Koronadal Valley; Daguma which separates Allah Valley from Sarangani and contains Lakes Sebu, Lahit and Siloton as well as Mt. Parker; and Quezon where Mt. Matutum is located.
A forum on open pit mining was held on 23 September 2011 at South Cotabato Gym and Cultural Center. Gov. Arthur “Dodo” Y. Pingoy, Jr. facilitated it.
Experts of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) presented their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 2 ½ hours.
Next the Diocese of Marbel’s experts fromLondon,United KingdomandManilagave their critique of the EIA and EIS for 1 ½ hours.
Open forum followed.
Then Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez gave his own criticism for five minutes. He was allowed 30 minutes.
Governor Pingoy gave the final remarks.
Findings
Xstrata/SMI Engineers wrote: “The Tampakan Mine has a high potential for loss of life and high environmental damage if a failure of dams or Rock Storage facilities occurs.
“How many human lives will be lost? Have you quantified these?” asked British Expert Clive Montgomery Wicks, of the Working Group on Mining in thePhilippines–UK. NO answer from SMI.
CONCLUSION
Governor Arthur “Dodo” Y. Pingoy, Jr. said: “I WILL IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENT CODE OF SOUTH COTABATO BANNING OPEN PIT MINING! Thunderous applauses and cheers from the crowd of more than 6,000, mostly anti-mining advocates.
Thank you, Lord. Thanks to all for your prayers especially the cloistered nuns: Trappistines, Poor Clares, Passionists.
CEAPS’s SUPCOM met at Pearl Farm Beach, Kaputian, Island Garden, City of Samalon 18-20 September 2011.
Theme: “ Towards the Culture of Peace: Reviewing the Past, Engaging the Present, Discerning the Future”.
Goal: Celebrating the CEAP Superintendents’ Commission’s Three-Year Period of Grace: Remembering, Thanksgiving, Renewing.
Program (highlights)
September 18 (Sunday)
6:00p.m. Mass. Presider and homilist: Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, BSE, MA.ED, STD. 25th Sunday – “You go to my vineyard”. God sends people to proclaim God’s reign. He is not only just but also generous. God’s thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways (1st Reading, Is. 55: 6-9). Paul expresses his great confidence that God is always good. (2nd reading, Phil. 1: 20-24, 27). So obey God.
God sends us to protect the integrity of God’s creation and promote the culture of peace.
Living our faith vis-à-vis this planet earth will promote the integrity of God’s creation and peace. This is what I call “Earth Spirituality”.
Seven principles to observe: 1) Communion (every being is united); 2) Differentiation (every being is different from other beings – bio-diversity; 3) Interdependence/interconnectedness – every being depends on one another; everything affects others; 4) Innerness (each being has an inner/psychic power/energy being created by God; 5) Anthropic (God created the world to make it habitable for humans); 6) Precautionary (when one is not sure whether an intended activity is harmful or not, all necessary precautions must be taken; 7) Intergenerational justice (we have the duty to ensure that the benefits we enjoy would also be enjoyed by future generations. Six of these are in Benedict XVIs “Caritas in Veritate”.
Dinner followed the mass. Then election. Fr. Paquito G. Gallego, Diocese of Antipolo, was re-elected chairman for another term of three years.
September 19.
Presider and homilist: Bishop George Rimando, Auxiliary Bishop, Davao.
September 20
Mass Presider and homilist: Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, Auxiliary Bishop, Cotabato.
Participants: around 140.
Sixty-four priests – 40 diocesan, 19 Passionist, 3 Dominican and 2 Capuchin, attended the recollection on 13 September 2011 at 73rd Infantry Battalion, Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani. Lt. Col. Adolf Estpuelas, CO.
Topic: “Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). An Integration of Jesus’ PropheticMission.
Wandering prophet/sharer was Fr. Rey Carvyn Ondap, CP. Ordained priest 11 May 2009 at Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish,GeneralSantosCity. Appointed Assistant Director/Econome, CatholicMissionto Indigenous People and since 04 November 2009, JPIC Coordinator.
Both Scriptures and Church’s Magisterium are passionate about JPIC.
Jesus’ Prophetic Action.
Jesus’ prophetic examples: Beatitudes, Ministry and passion for the poor, lowly, hungry, suffering, oppressed and peace-making. To follow Christ means identifying oneself with the marginalized and the crucified who thirst for life.
Essentials to the Church’s mission of liberating people are: a passion for justice, a desire for peace and an interest in conserving the integrity of the whole of creation.
Issue to focus: update on SMI Xstrata open pit mining: Tampakan copper-gold project.
June 28, 2011. SMI’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) presentation at Cinco Niñas Restaurant,KoronadalCity.
August 11, 2011, SMI’s Environmental Statement (EIS) presentation at Cinco Niñas.
EIA – assessment of all their findings during research.
EIS – final result/statements of the assessments and answers to the questions raised.
Both EIA and EIS are DENR’s requirements for the EMB (Environmental Management Bureau) to issue an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
Project proponents: (SMI – EIS, April 2011)
Project Location
Regions XI and XII.
Provinces:Davaodel Sur, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani andSouth Cotabato.
Municipalities: Kiblawan, Colombio, Malungon and Tampakan.
Barangays: Kimlawis, Bulol Salo, Tacub, Datal Biao, Malabod, B’laan, Danlag,PulaBato and Tablu.
Major Project Components:
1) Open Pit
Total Area for open pit: 7.5 sq. kms.
Copper - 375,000 tonnes per annum
Gold - 360,000 ounces per annum
Total Project Cost - US$ 5.9 B.
2) Mine Site
Total Area - 9,605 has. Ancestral land – 74%.
Forest land - 19%. Alienable – 7%
Forested Area - 36% woodlands; 50% croplands; 10% (buildings); 4% others.
3) Waste Rock Storage Facility (WRSF)
About 500 has., 70-355m. from the ground. 1.35 BT be stored. 90% PAF (Potentially Acid Forming).
4) Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). High arsenic content. MalRiverValley, 10 kms. East from open pit site. Total area: 1,300 has., 200 m. deep, 2.1 kms. long. Stores: 1.1 BT capacity. Embankment to be progressively raised to provide enough storage and would be ultimately 280 m. high and 2.1 kms. long (SMI – EIA. Overview document).
5) Mine Infrastructures: a) ore and waste rock conveyor; b) ore handling facility, including crusher; c) concentrator and associated ore processing facilities; d) workshop and maintenance facility.
6) Fresh Water Dam (FWD)
Location: on theMalRiver. Capacity: 215,000ML. Height: 150m. Depth: 800m
IMPACT OF OPEN PIT on:
1) Headwaters of the drainage catchments of Atlayan, Mainit, Manteo, Dalul, Mal and Taplan rivers system.
2) 4,000 inhabitants (870 households) to be relocated. 70% IPs, 30% non-IPs.
3) Clearing on 3,935has., 1,310 has. rainforest.
4) Destruction of flora (1,000 species) and fauna (280 species).
COUNTER SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS TO ESIA (Environmental Social Impact Assessment) by Clive Montgomery Wicks and Dr. Robert Goodland, London Working Group of Mining in thePhilippines. Both experts.
The Tampakan mine has a high potential for loss of life and damage to environment. High risks far outweigh advantages.
No mining in water catchments. Reforest and protect to ensure food.
Multiple and cumulative risks. a) militant activity (4 groups operate in the area); b) climate change; c) high seismic activity (4 major fault lines).
Human rights. IPs rely on water catchments for survival (They have CADTs on the mine site). Their right to water is prior to SMIs’ right. Pollution threatens life and food security.
Koronadal Valley shallow (50m. to 100m. deep) Aquifers would be polluted by toxins coming from the mine site. Agricultural lands, fish farming, particularly inLakeBuluan, would be affected adversely. The humans, too.
Conclusion.
Our passion for justice, peace and creation is a sharing in Christ’s prophetic action.
Let us act. NOW. TOGETHER!
