TUGUEGARAO CITY – President Aquino was urged
by concerned Cagayanons including religious and environmental groups last week
to stop large-scale black sand mining in Cagayan towns.
Father Manny Catral,
the representative of Tuguegarao Bishop Sergio Utleg, and advocates from
Cagayan met with Sec. Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative
Liaison Office, on Monday to submit their concerns on the issue of black sand
mining off the coast of Cagayan, specifically in the towns of Aparri, Buguey,
Sta. Teresita, Gonzaga, Lallo, and Calamaniugan.
Mamba, who also heads
the Cagayan Black Sand Mining Task Force, received Bishop Utleg’s letter to the
President.
In the letter, Bishop
Utleg said, “Mr. President, we are appealing to you to order the immediate
closure of large-scale black sand mining Cagayan and the dismantling of their
huge processing plants. We believe that these are blatant violations of
Batasang Pambansa No. 265, Presidential Decree No. 1899, and Republic Act No.
7076.”
Black sand or
magnetite mining has been a controversial issue in Cagayan for almost five
years. Magnetite or iron sand is valued for its use in building and
construction.
The substance keeps
coasts from erosion and wave currents.
Evelyn Lacambra of
Federation of Environmental Advocates of Cagayan (FEAC) and Concerned Laloeno
Against Illegal Mining (CLAIM) added, “We are happy to have met Sec Mamba who
we believe understand our concerns. We hope that this will result to the
stoppage of the black sand mining in our province.”
Magnetite mining in
Cagayan has been subject to several media video documentaries due to its impact
on community livelihoods, especially that of fisher folk.
Meanwhile, the Mines
and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has issued a cease-and-desist order for black sand
mining in the area, but falls short in implementing it.
“Unfortunately, the
government lacks political will in exercising its police power in implementing
these orders. This results in the abuse and misuse of our natural resources,
while putting the livelihoods of communities in grave jeopardy,” said
Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina.
Alyansa Tigil Mina is
an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs
and other civil society organizations who oppose the aggressive promotion of
large-scale mining in the Philippines.
The alliance is
currently pushing for a moratorium on mining, revocation of EO 270-A, the
repeal of the Mining Act of 1995, and the passage of the AMMB.
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