This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 9, April 10-16, 2005
Davao’s Limestone
Reserves Up for Grabs
Barrio folk in Davao City’s remote hinterlands are divided over the imminent
entry of mining companies to explore limestone deposits. What worries them
however is the environment damage that mining would bring into their communities
and livelihood.
By
Amabelle Plaza-Laminero One-third of Gatungan has
rich limestone deposits but are largely unexplored and untapped. The main source
of livelihood for its 900 residents comes from working as In an interview, Ricardo
Cabling, Davao City councilor and chair of the environment committee, admits
Solid North appears to have dubious intentions with its mineral Edilberto Arreza, MGB
operations officer, reportedly said his office is presently The DUCC (Holcim's
precursor) was accused last year by an outgoing Davao City councilor of not
paying taxes amounting toP1.2 billion. Based on the documents from © 2004 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Bulatlat
DAVAO CITY - Barangay (village) Captain Francisco Banate fears the entry of a
mining firm in his far-flung village of Gatungan this city.
Banate's apprehensions are understandable. A short visit in Gatungan would make
one conclude this sleepy village will likely lose its serenity and beauty once
mining sets in.
So far, only the Swiss-owned Holcim Philippines, formerly the
multi-billion-worth Davao Union Cement Corporation (DUCC), operates under a
Mineral Production Sharing
Agreement (MPSA) for its 806-ha limestone quarry in the city.
A Makati-based firm, Solid North Mineral Corporation, is applying for an
exploration permit to extract limestone in Gatungan including five other
barangays in Bunawan district in this city: Mahayag, Bunawan, Acacia, Gatuman,
Ilang and Mundiang.
Remote Gatungan is the least developed and the smallest of the nine barangays in
Davao's industrial zone Bunawan district. Its population is less than a
thousand.
Two years ago, men claiming to be representatives of Solid North went to
Gatungan and asked Banate's permission to "test for limestone deposits." When
Banate asked for a formal letter, the men left and never came back. No surveys
on the limestone deposit in their areas have since been conducted.
Last January, Banate attended a committee hearing but was disappointed that
Solid North's representatives were absent. Instead, he and other barangay
captains heard the representatives from Holcim who discussed their exploration
application for additional 30 hectares.
Banate said most of those who attended the committee hearing were not sold out
to Solid North.
"I want to listen to Solid North and what they really plan to do with our
barangay," Banate says. He was
born in this far-flung village and had been a barangay kagawad (councilman)
since 1982 before he became barangay captain last year.
Limestone-rich
tenants in coconut farmlands. Some also grow banana and corn crops.
Gatungan has six sitios (sub-villages). Only one third of the households in the
barangay enjoy electricity, relying on an electric pump
Meanwhile, Banate mulls on some "advantages" in allowing mining exploration in
their village. With his barangay operating on a small budget of P603,000, he
believes mining could pump in additional revenues. His dreams for the barangay
are simple: a water system and a bridge.
But the barangay captain is also wary of the environmental impact of mining.
"Who wouldn't be afraid of the environmental catastrophe once mining sets in,"
he said. Banate owns 1.6 hectares of land planted to some 50 coconut trees.
"It's not that easy to allow mining in our area," he says.
Dubious intentions
exploration application.
Cabling was earlier set to submit approval of the Solid North's application. He
was told that the company’s exploration was part of Holcim's application for
extraction. He was under the impression that Solid North had already complied
with all the requirements. The Mines Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had likewise
written to him that once copies of
the exploration and environmental work programs are presented to the city
councilors, it is ready for approval by the city council.
Cabling, however, shelved his recommendation after two members of his committee
objected to the application saying that a memorandum of agreement must be forged
first between the city government and the company, and that environmental
considerations must first be
studied.
In January, Cabling backpedaled from his earlier position after learning that
Solid North was not in any way connected with Holcim. While supportive of
Holcim's mining application, Cabling was not keen in endorsing Solid North.
"We suspect that the Solid North may be applying for a permit but they don't
have plans to immediately develop the area, only to reserve it, as if acting
like a land speculator," Cabling said.
City officials like Cabling see no conflict with the renewed mining explorations
in the city and elsewhere following the Supreme Court controversial ruling on
the Mining Act of 1995 last December. The ruling prompted religious and
environmentalist groups to raise alarm against the full-speed exploration and
large-scale extraction by foreign mining firms.
For his part, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte recently announced he is in favor
of large-scale mining citing its impact in increasing revenues and jobs
generation to solve the current economic crisis.
"People normally react when the mining issue is raised,” Cabling said. “They
immediately think about the Marcopper tragedy. But here in Davao city, there are
no plans of gold or copper large- scale mining. The city's mineral resources
include shale, limestone, quarry minerals and those for earthfill."
conducting a reconnaissance on Marilog District’s slope, rock and soil types and
mineral deposits. The results will be part of the Geographical Information
System that the MGB will present to potential investors.
Indeed, villagers like Banate are facing a tough wall once mining firms descend
on their villages.
the Concerned Citizens/Taxpayers of Davao City and the Citizens Crime and Graft
Watch, city treasurer's office showed that annual real property tax which the
city collected from DUCC was only P25.5 million since year 2000 when the annual
tax collection should have been at least P342.5 million. With a tax shortage of
P317.01 million per year, the city should have a total tax collectible of P1.2
billion.
Holcim Philippines, Inc. is said to be the leading cement manufacturer in the
Philippines. It is the merger of Hi-Cement Corporation, DUCC, Bacnotan Cement
Corporation and Alsons Cement Corporation. Bulatlat