Vizcaya miners, firm still at odds

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – “Illegal” small-scale miners in this province and Oceana Gold Phils. Inc. over are still at odds over digging rights but a compromise agreement is being worked out.

The agreement is expected to result in the generation of jobs and livelihood activities for the families of the small-scale miners.

OceanaGold has launched a livelihood program for the small-scale miners that will generate income for them.

These include piggery, poultry and livestock raising, mushroom farming, vegetable production, and production of rice and high-value crops (banana and citrus).

“They’re entering into an agreement with us so that illegal small-scale miners are now partners in development,” said OGPI Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Ramoncito P. Gozar.

“We’re willing to solve the problem with OceanaGold,” said Manual Yohoy, spokesman of the Didipio Small-Scale Mining Association.

“It would be nice to keep talking with them in order to create closeness with the community. My view is that I would appreciate and be supportive of the exploitation of resources, provided there is participation by the people so they’ll enjoy the benefits from it,” he said.

An important job opportunity is construction. OceanaGold will employ some 1,500 workers during the construction stage of the mining operations.

Some 300 workers are now employed in road construction at the mining site.

“There are non-skilled jobs for the community. The miners skilled in tunneling work will also be employed for such jobs,” Lucy Exconde of OceanaGold said.

Tohoy said the DSSMA will discuss with OGPI mining concerns, including possible compensation for the tunnels which, he said, the miners are willing to surrender to the company.

OGPI has the right to take over the tunneling areas by virtue of the financial and technical assistance agreement it had signed with government.

OceanaGold is concerned about human safety in the tunnels. Tunnels built by the illegal small-scale miners lack structural studies and have always been a cause of landslides, accidents, and deaths among miners and residents, it was reported.

The illegal miners have also been using banned mercury or cyanide without permit, causing harm to human and the environment.

Yohoy said that aside from eliminating the bad effects of chemicals, DSSMA’s concern is about eh impact of OGPI’s operations in the rural area.

“We’re looking forward to the benefits of the community after the exploitation of resources. The objective is not to destroy or deprive. But if you look at other mining operations in Benguet, the community is still wallowing in poverty. There’s no change. We hope OceanaGold can address these issues,” he said. -- SG