Firing gov’t execs for nature’s fury

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY -- Now, the locals of this tourist resort can heave a sigh of relief after visitors from Manila, who came to escape horrendous traffic in the capital city due to the just concluded Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit have left.

Traffic in the summer capital and nearby La Trinidad, Benguet had gone from bad to worse with the coming of visitors who brought along their expensive and spunky cars which clogged the streets. While the APEC was in full swing in Manila, Baguio experienced a huge influx of visitors and tourists, according to local officials.

The Police Regional Office-Cordillera earlier placed this mountain resort city under red alert with thousands expected to take advantage of the suspension of work and classes in Metro Manila due to APEC Summit.

Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Ulysses Abellera and Baguio police chief Rolando Miranda, led inspection of tourist spots, malls and places where people were expected to converge and gave instruction to security officers to be alert and assure  safety of their shoppers.

Supt. Evelio Degay, Baguio police traffic head issued three traffic schemes on roads expected to experience heavy traffic in the city, as huge volumes of vehicles started to arrive early last week.

Apart from influx of visitors and tourists because of APEC, this city also hosted the 62nd Philippine Mines Safety and Environment Association Week attended by thousands of participants who booked most rooms in hotels and inns in the city.

***

This, while text messages were passed around saying the dreaded ISIS (Islamic State) militants would bomb or go on a killing spree in universities here or people where a lot of people converge.

***

It is a paradox criteria top national government officials use to replace those in lower ranks. This time, the provincial directors of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya were relieved from their posts for failing to achieve zero casualty during Typhoon Lando.

In a recent directive, Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento ordered the relief of Elpidio Duruin of Isabela and Ruperto Maribbay of Nueva Vizcaya.Four municipal local government operations officers in the two provinces were also placed on floating status.

Marietta Abalos and Catherine Allam-Miranda replaced Duruin and Maribbay, respectively. For this, the provincial board of Isabela approved a resolution appealing Duruin’s relief.

“The fate of the victims was beyond our control, we did our best to mitigate if not prevent nature’s wrath,” Duruin told local media.Isabela reported three casualties in Cabagan, Tumauini and San Mariano towns while Nueva Vizcaya had one in Bambang town due toTyhphoonLando.

***

Duruin’s statement was reality. One cannot stop a storm surge from killing a lot of people like the one in Tacloban or a mountain from having sliding and burying houses below like during Typhoon Lando in Benguet wherein scores of people died.

For this, former, provincial Benguet police chief Senior Supt. David Lacdan was also relieved Oct. 21 by Sarmiento despite protests of top provincial officials.

Benguet suffered 14 casualties due to the typhoon. Lacdan, like the others who suffered the same fate, was not God who could stop nature like typhoons from inflicting harm on the populace.So why was he replaced like the other officials in Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela?

Our friendly, drunken philosopher had ready answers. He talked of onion-skinned officials in Malacanang and central government offices who always pass the blame for booboos (like during  disasters) to their subalterns and look good in the process.

Nature could indeed wreak destruction on the environment and people. But people and companies are also some of the big culprits in environmental destruction, according to environmentalists. 

***

Up north, Ilocos Network for the Environment regional coordinator Sherwin De Vera said mining companies, particularly Chinese, were destroying the environment.

“President Xi Jinping should also provide possible resolution not only the West Philippine Sea row but also on rampant destructive and mostly illegal mining operations perpetuated by Chinese companies in the Philippines,” the INE said in a press statement.

The Chinese leader attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting Nov. 18-19 in the Philippines but has left already the country.

De Vera was referring to mining companies owned and operated by Chinese nationals responsible for illegal and destructive mining operations in several towns in Ilocos Sur. Four companies were reportedly identified by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during the course of their investigation regarding magnetite mining operation in the province in 2013 to present. 

An Bang Mining Company, Hongze Mining Corporation, Wellresource Mining Company and Isla Verde Mining & Development Corporations were caught and charged for their illegal operations. Another mining company, South Ocean Mining Corporation reportedly operated an illegal processing plant in Quirino,Ilocos Sur was also owned by Chinese nationals.

“While it is true that these operations cannot prosper without the backing of local politicians, China as independent and responsible nation should also address this matter. Non-resolution of this problem only adds up to the building tension in the West Philippine Sea, more and more Filipinos will view China not only just a bully but also as a mineral-hungry thief,” De Vera, said.

According to the INE, Western mining companies are also covering their plunder by putting the blame on illegal mining operations of Chinese companies.

The INE urged President Xi to take action on the matter and for China to take responsibility and make the necessary rehabilitation and indemnification for destruction caused by its mining companies in Ilocos Sur and other parts of the country.