Philex engages communities inwaterways cleanup, rehab after tailings dam collapse

By Thet Mesias

TUBA, Benguet --  Philex Mining Corporation is set to engage the communities near its Padcal Mine for short-term restoration and long-term rehabilitation of waterways affected by the recent tailings leak at its mine site in this province.

The move is in line with the company’s environmental rehabilitation and remediation efforts while working closely with its stakeholders and the local government units involved, Philex Mining President and COO Eulalio Austin, Jr. said.  

Victor Francisco, vice-president for Community Relations at Philex Mining, said the company has been talking with the households situated along the tributaries in SitioPambasan, Barangay Dalupirip, Itogon town, to join the cleanup and rehabilitation drive in parts of Balog Creek and Agno River.

“The locals are more knowledgeable of the terrains and geographic characteristics of the affected areas,” he said, “so they can help our employee-volunteers fast track the cleanup work in Balog Creek.”

Philex Mining deployed a four-team cleanup task force early this month to work on clearing pathways and trails, in order to give its over 400 employee-volunteers access to Balog Creek and Agno River.

When the cleanup is done, Philex Mining will start developing projects and activities in the neighboring communities, which residents may use for their livelihood and in generating other sources of income.

Besides creating friendlier trails, the task force also set up satellite offices as repository of various resources for the cleanup drive, as well as silt traps and tram lines for hauling of the tailings collected from the creek. These mechanisms are also useful for shoveling of silts from the riverbed and off the riverbanks, and gathering these tailings into sacks for hauling onto a temporary sediment impounding area.

While heavy rains in the past few days contributed to the difficulty of transporting materials through the challenging terrain, Philex Mining set up four satellite offices to look after the needs of the employee-volunteers and run the whole operation.

Austin has noted the willingness of Philex Mining employees to be part of the cleanup drive, as they first went downstream early this month to start cleaning the tributaries despite the bad weather and rugged terrains.

“The spirit of volunteerism is very evident,” said Mildred Daz, the company’s budget manager for Padcal projects and who is currently one of the managers-in-charge in Philex Mining’s Environment Command Post, at Padcal Mine. “You can tell how these people love the company. They don’t want to be mere spectators; they want part of the responsibility.”

Emilia Tabula, the company’s division manager for General Services, said the cleanup team has braved the rains and the muddy, slippery, and steep trails going to Balog Creek, with its members usually staying at their designated cleanup sites for up to four days, after which another batch of volunteers replaces them.

Tabula, who is in-charge of Philex Mining’s Satellite Offices, said all employee-volunteers have been provided with complete personal protective equipment (PPE) after undergoing complete medical screening to ensure that they are fit to work, and receiving thorough briefing on safety precautions.

Philex Mining voluntarily stopped operations at Padcal Mine at midnight of August 1, following the accidental discharge of water and sediments from its Tailings Pond No. 3.

The company has immediately reorganized its personnel and resources to focus on the rehabilitation of its tailings pond and the protection of the environment.

It has been reported and confirmed by both internal and external experts and government officials that the tailings are non-toxic, and that no injuries have been reported as a result of the incident.