KIDMACO Opposes Proposed Open Pit Mining

The Dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos came out with a statement strongly opposing the proposed open pit mining of Sagittarius Mines, Inc.  It will be published after the three bishops have signed the cover letter addressed to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III copies furnished the CBCP, DENR, EMB, MGB, ECIP, NCIP, CHR, LGUs, Media, Congress, etc.

This was clarified during the KIDMADI’s meeting, June 30, 2011, Bishop’s residence, City of Koronadal.  Attendance: 21.

Around 100,000 signatures will be affixed to the Statement.  These signatures will be sent to the Marbel Diocesan Social Action Center for transmission to Pres. Aquino et al. on or before July 29, 2011.

Ms. Belen G. Amdio, PSAC/JP/PPC Pres., Tampakan parish gave an overview of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on SMI.

1. Project Fact Sheet, Tampakan Copper Gold Mine Project.  Proposed area: approximately 9,605 has in Brgys. Kimblawis, Bololsalo and Tacub in Kiblawan,DavaoSur; Brgy. Datal Biao, Colombio, Sultan Kudarat; Brgys Malabod and Bilaan, MAlungon, Sarangani; and Brgys. Danlag,PulaBato, Tablu, Tampakan,South Cotabato.

1. Draft

Mining and Processing

• Mining, up to 160 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).  Twenty years.
• Processing – capacity of up to 66Mtpa.

1^st stage.  500 has. to be mined through open pit.  Dimension: 3 kms long x 2.5 kms. wide x .8 km (800 meters) deep.  Mine sites: Brgys. Danlag,Pula Bato and Tablu, Tampakan.  Resettlement areas: Gumamela (Pula Bato), Maltana,Liberty and Isting (Lampitak).

Ore processing.  Conventional crushing and flotation methods.  Average: 375,000 tonnes per annum of copper and 360,000 ounces of gold per annum.

Waste Management

• Tailing Storage Facility (TSF).  1.1B tonnes capacity, 250 meters deep, 2.1 kms. long; 1,000 has. surface area.  Located 10kms east of open pit within thevalley of MalRiver, Malungon.
• Waste Rock Storage Facility (WRSF).  Capacity: 1.35Bt – 500has.  Some 50Mt of high Potential Acid Forming (PAF) waste rocks in the open pit.  Located in Tablu, Tampakan.

Water Management

Two kinds: Tailing Storage Facility (TSF) and Fresh Water dam (FWD) systems.  TSF – main source of water supply for project.  FWD – main source of fresh water supply (215,000 metric liters, 150 meters high, 800 meters deep, 500 has. surface area).  Malungon.

Mine Site.

Of the 9,605 has. 74% is ancestral land; 19%, forest land, 7% alienable.  Forested area: 36%, woodlands – 50%; croplands – 10% built-up (buildings) – 4%.

Environmentally critical areas! Ancestral domain.  Wildlife habitat.

Very high biodiversity:

a)      Flora: 1087 morpho-species, including 247 species endemic toPhilippines(30% and 52 (6%) endemic toMindanao.

b)      Fauna:  309 species: birds (184), mammals (49), reptiles (47), amphibians (29), most are endemic.

Other constructions: concentrator in Kiblawan.  Conveyors from mining sites to Malalog port.  Sediment dams in Kiblawan.  Explosives Storage facility in Tampakan.  TSF water Treatment Plant.  Motopool.  Permanent employees buildings.  Warehouses – Village Administration Pipeline System (60 kms, 12” diameter, buried 1 meter deep,  11 meters easement).  Power transmission System (230 KV at Malalag).  Coal Fired Power Plant, Filter Plant,SeaPortinDavaoSur).

Tremendous damage to environment! Serious threat to food security and human life.  Violent incidents.

NO TO OPEN PIT!!!

Position Paper On The RH Bills

Faculty, students and alumni of the University of the Philippines came out with a position paper against the Reproductive Health Bills (HB 96 and its related bills)

1) Population is not an obstacle to development. Nobel prize winner Simon Kuznet’s research has shown that there is insignificant empirical association between population growth rates and output per capita (economic growth). Similar studies confirmed Kuznet’s findings: US National Research Council (1986), UN Population Fund Consultative Meeting of Economists (1992), Eric Hanushek and Ludger Wößmann (2007), among others.

2) Instead, the government has to channel limited funds to job creation and education.

3) Fertility rates in the Philippines are progressively decreasing from average rate of 7 in 1960 to 3.1 in 2008. IN 2025 it is expected to reach 2.1., the replacement level – WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION.

4) Resources should be used to address the leading causes of death: tuberculosis, heart disease, diarrhea.

5) Condoms are not wise investments. We have the lowest incidence of HIV cases in the ADB report. Thailand, the model in condom promotion, has the highest.

6) Oral Contraceptive Pills are carcinogens, (International Agency for Research on Cancer).

7) It is the State’s duty to order society by promoting the well being of its citizens. It is not the State’s job to facilitate access to what is harmful.

DUMP THE CONTENTIOUS AND FLAWED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILLS. PASS MORE BILLS STRENGTHENING THE FILIPINO FAMILY, PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS AGAINST THE RISKS OF CONTRACEPTION, DEFENDING THE SCIENTIFIC FACT THAT CONTRACEPTION BEGINS AT FERTILIZATION PRODUCING ESSENTIAL MEDICINES FOR THE MAIN CAUSES OF DEATH, MAKING QUALITY EDUCATION MORE ACCESSIBLE AND PROVIDING MORE JOBS.

Global Day of Action Against Coal

Anti-coal Statement was read in all masses last December 5, 2010 in the Diocese of Marbel.

Excerpts:
“Coal is the world’s largest source of greenhouse gases that cause global warming and climate changes.”

“Mining coal releases methane and other toxic elements such as mercury, lead, arsenic, etc…methane…stays in the atmosphere for almost 1,000 years and absorbs heat from the sun 20 times more than carbon dioxide.”

“Burning coal for coal-fired power plants produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.”

“Coal industry is booming due to large profits for the investors.” The poor near coal mines suffer from water contamination, among other negative effects.

“No perfect technology to totally eliminate greenhouse gases.”

“Alternatives to the use of coal”: wind, water, sun.

“Let us not be fooled by the lobbying efforts of the investors who want to monopolize the energy sector for profits.”

“Let us, people of SOCSARGEN, unite against mining and burning of coal…we are stewards of God’s creation; it is our mission to protect our environment, ensure resources for future generations and protect our ecological balance.”

“THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CLEAN OR GREEN COAL”

“DEATH IS THE ONLY COLOR OF COAL!!!”

(Signed by Fr. Romeo Q. Catedral, SAD Marbel and approved by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez)