LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The ill effects of large-scale mining to the environment and the displacement of indigenous people from their ancestral lands are the major reasons for the growing opposition to renewed mining activities in several mineral-rich areas in this vegetable-producing province.
This was noted as the provincial board supported the opposition of thousands of Itogon residents to the application of Benguet Corp. for a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) affecting a village in the municipality and a nearby Baguio barangay.
The board said the MPSA being applied by the mining firm covers areas which are already occupied by residents in Barangays Kias in Baguio City and Virac in Itogon.
The conduct of mining activities in these areas would result in damage to the environment, the depletion of water supply, and the displacement of many residents from the occupied areas.
Earlier, residents of Kias and Virac opposed BC’s MPSA application, technically known as application for production sharing agreement (APSA) 009 now pending at the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Cordillera.
The residents said approval of the MPSA would cause damage to their properties and their sources of livelihood.
The board said residents who would be displaced by the resumption of mining operations have already secured tax declarations and that they have been religiously paying their taxes.
The area covered by the MPSA application is already a build-up area where permanent structures and improvements, including the cultivation of fruit trees and agricultural products, have long been introduced.
The indigenous people in this vegetable-producing province have become vigilant with regards to new mining applications, either renewal of permits or applications for new explorations, due to the negative effects of large-scale mining to the environment and the displacement of people from their ancestral lands.
The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act requires companies exploiting natural resources of communities to first secure "free and prior informed consent of the people" before they start conducting development activities.
The people said they are already tired of allegedly unfulfilled promises by various companies, especially on the provision of sources of livelihood of the affected residents.
As a result, they are invoking their rights under the law to compel the concerned companies into giving to them what is due them.
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