A
Tragedy That Refuses to Die
Seven years after a catastrophic
spillage, two mining TNCs refuse to pay
They
were found to be responsible for the tragic spillage of mining tailings
that turned the historic Mogpog River in Marinduque province into a dead
river in 1996. But owners of two TNCs have refused to pay for the
river’s rehabilitation and the current administration is being asked to
exert pressure.
BY
DENNIS ESPADA
Bulatlat.com
The
clean-up of desperately-polluted towns and waters of the island-province of
Marinduque is experiencing delays as foreign mining companies—-the Marcopper
Mining Corporation and Canadian-based Placer Dome Inc. (PDI) — have refused to
assume the responsibility of paying for the much-needed rehabilitation measures.
Since
the spillage over Boac river of millions of cubic meters of toxic mine tailings
coming from a drainage tunnel of a copper mining site on March 24, 1996 and
several subsequent incidents of disaster, the people are still struggling from
the environmental catastrophe.
A
New Hope geochemist, Dr. Aloysius Baes of the environmental research group
Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC), together with his
five-member team of scientists, led a consultation meeting with local leaders
last July 8-10 to assess the province’s environmental and health situation,
particularly the communities surrounding the Mogpog river, where they took water
samples and interviewed local residents.
Dr.
Baes noted that hundreds of tons of mine tailings are now lodged in the 16-km
river, whose contaminated water, aquatic resources and surrounding land continue
to endanger the health of the people and their sources of livelihood.
Local
officials said the team’s visit gave them a “new hope” in the midst of
their people’s anxieties and what to them is prolonged injustice.
Earlier
on June 9, an American survey team composed of experts from the United States’
Geological Survey (USGS), the Institute of Pathology Scientists and the
University of Arizona came to the island to begin the Marinduque Environment and
Health Study (MEHS). The 18-month-long study, which will cost approximately P20
milllion, will be financed through the social fund of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Horacio
Ramos, director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has committed the services of their top
mining experts to assist the U.S. team.
Beth
Manggol of the Marinduque Council for Environment Concerns (MACEC), an
organization monitoring the ecological impacts of mining operations in the
province, meanwhile, asked if Arroyo will release funds to carry out the
remedial measures.
“Sayang
naman ang isang pag-aaral na ginastusan ng salapi ng gobyerno na pagkatapos ay
wala naman palang mabuting mangyayari” (Financing a study is useless if
there are no positive results), Manggol said.
Although
many Marinduquenos are wary of the U.S. study, Mayor Bert Madla of Boac town has
summarized their doubts by saying that, “the USGS study may not reveal the
actual situation and the hardships of the people of Marinduque as a result of
these mining disasters because most of the documents they are reviewing have
been released by mining companies and not by independent institutions.”
‘Acid
Mine Drainage’
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines acid mine drainage (AMD) as a
“metal-rich water formed from chemical reaction between water and rocks
containing sulfur-bearing minerals.” AMD is evident from the reddish-orange
discoloration downstream. It depletes marine life, contaminates drinking water
supply and the food chain with toxic heavy metals such as lead and arsenic.
Even
before the inspection, MACEC’s Manggol reported a recent “fish kill” where
many dead fishes, shrimps and kalapay (small scrabs) were found as having
a reddish skin “as if it was cooked in acid.” She suspects that this may be
caused by AMD.
Compensation
and Rehabilitation: A Waiting Game
Marinduquenos
are also waiting for the $12 million and the $1 million pledged by PDI for the
rehabilitation of the Boac river and for the compensation of toxic-affected
people, respectively.
Unmindful
of ecological degradation caused by large-scale mining operations, PDI is
denying any responsibility for the situation at Calancan Bay near Sta. Cruz town
when some 200 million tons of mine wastes were dumped into the vast ocean. It
has also disclaimed liability for the bursting of a mine dam at the top of the
river in Mogpog town in 1993, causing an outpour of toxic wastes on the river.
Right
now, at least 75 children in Sta. Cruz town are found to be contaminated with
heavy metals, according to Manggol. She appealed to the two mining firms to
immediately release the said funds “without conditions” in order to shoulder
the victims’ medical expenses such as costly detoxification.
Clemente
Bautista Jr. of the Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (KPNE) said
the Macapagal-Arroyo administration should show sincerity in addressing the woes
of mine-affected people in Marinduque by penalizing erring polluters and
stopping the implementation of its National Mineral Policy which, he said, will
open the country’s natural resources to further destruction. Bulatlat.com
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