Governor Nelson Dayanghirang has requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cancel the permit of a mining company – RCMI/ANRI – accused of causing the massive siltation of the Mapagba and Pintatagan Rivers in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental last week.
In his letter to DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, Governor Dayanghirang requested the agency not to allow the mining company to resume operations thereby seeking its permanent closure in the area.
He cited the violation of the company that left the rivers stained orange from nickel laterite following a heavy downpour last week.
“This blatant disregard of the company to its environmental protection and enhancement commitments had caused immeasurable environmental damages, should be given corrective measures,” Dayanghirang said.
The mining company has already ceased its operation on Monday by order of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). It has conducted massive desilting operations at the Mapagba River as part of its River clean-up. Aside from using heavy equipment, the company also resorted to manual desilting to remove suspended silts and sediments. The company has also done direct community service by giving food packs to the affected residents. It is also set to provide jobs for locals to work on the reforestation, rehabilitation, and repair works.
An important government agency such as the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has also stepped in to help the locals affected by the pollution.
The quick action done by the local government unit (LGU) through Governor Dayanghirang, the national agencies concerned — Department of Environment and Natural Resources through Secretary Roy Cimatu and MinDA
through Sec. Mabel Sunga Acosta and even the erring company may be laudable, but as they say an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Although mining companies have contributed immensely to the country’s income generation through tax revenues and providing jobs, the government and concerned groups say its environmental impacts outweigh any benefit.
“For a while, it may provide benefits in terms of income for the local and the national government. But our people and our environment will suffer the long-term effects of irresponsible mining. We can still manage without it. Environment protection and conservation should be prioritized above everything else,” says Governor Dayanghirang.
The ideal thing for such a disaster as the massive siltation of two important rivers in the province is for it not to be allowed to happen.
Government should have this above mindset as DENR prepares to allow mining operations in many areas of the country as a strategy to recover our economy devastated by the ongoing pandemic.
