By Jade C. Zaldivar
DAVAO CITY Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said yesterday that she is pinning her hope on the approval of a House Bill declaring the city as “mining-free,” now that President Aquino has issued Executive Order 79 reinstating conditional government support for mining activities in the country.
The mayor was referring to 3rd District House Representative Isidro Ungab’s House Bill (HB) No. 5684 so titled “An Act Declaring the City of Davao as a Mining-Free Zone.| authored by Rep. Isidro T. Ungab of the city’s Third District.
The mayor said she understands EO 79 cites the city’s neighboring provinces as hosts to the “Minahan ng Bayan,” hence HB 5684 will officially declare the city as “mining-free.”
“We’re waiting for Congressman Ungab’s bill to be passed,” she said.
HB 5684 aims to prohibit all mining operations in the city.
The word “mining” refers to the extraction of minerals or ores which shall include exploration, feasibility study, development, utilization, and processing.
This does not include, however, quarrying of gravel and sand for projects such as, but not limited to, roads and bridges, school buildings, water and energy utilities.
Minahan ng Bayan
Declared as Minahan ng Bayan (Peoples’ Mining Sites) are Dinagsaan, Banay-Banay in Davao Oriental; and Gupitan and Talaingod in Davao del Norte.
In Compostella Valley, declared as Minahan ng Bayan are Diat, Biasan, and Boringot in Pantukan; Maco in Compostela Valley; Inupuan and Saraban in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.
EO 79 outlines the administration’s policy on mining, included, among others, the need to raise government’s share in mining revenues.
Section 1 of the EO states that sites considered as tourism development areas under National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) should be declared as mining-free zones.
No mining operations are allowed in critical areas, protected areas and prime agricultural lands.
Small scale mining is limited to operate within Minahan ng Bayan, which are subject for application and approval of the government.
The preceding provision is mainly directed at small-scale miners which in past years were operating illegally and not rendering taxes to the government nor operating with safety guidelines of the government.
