Mining TNCs Rake in Huge Profits, Contributions to Economy Negligible

TNCs in ‘small-scale mining’

Another trend in mining, said Bautista, is the entry of foreign mining companies in ‘small-scale mining’, which began in 2006. He said these companies are classified as small-scale not because of their operations, but because of the nature of their mining agreements and licenses.

From only 70 small-scale mining permits in 2004, the permits increased to 173 in 2007. He said that small-scale mining agreements are easier to process as applications are filed with LGUs.

Bautista noted that mining giant BHP Billiton is one of the major contract buyers of small-scale mining operations.

Dire costs

Bautista said large-scale mining operations have resulted in human rights abuses including displacement of indigenous peoples, harassments such as law suits and even outright killings.

To date, mining agreements cover around 600,000 hectares of mineral-rich land areas.

The KPNE revealed that from 2001 to 2007, there are 27 environmental activists who have been killed, 18 of them were involved in anti-mining activities.

Bautista deplored the establishment of military detachments and intensification of military operations in mining priority project areas.

He said that most of the provinces and regions identified as priority areas in the government’s counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch) are also priority mining areas. These are Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Bohol, Caraga, Compostela Valley in Southern Mindanao.

Bautista further criticized the impacts of large-scale mining operations on the environment. He blamed large-scale mining for the landslides in Mt. Diwalwal, in Maco, Compostela Valley and in Itogon, Benguet.

He recalled the fish kills in Lafayette. He said that mining also caused water and coastal pollution in Rio Tuba, Mt. Diwalwal, Abra River, among others.

Intensifying resistance

Bautista underscored the intensifying resistance of people affected by large-scale mining operations.

He said that the people, at the community level, mobilize themselves against the entry of foreign mining corporations. The people of Nueva Vizcaya, for example, have maintained their barricade since they set it up on July 2, 2007.

Bautista observed the opposition of the LGUs to large-scale mining. Seven provincial governments have so far declared a moratorium on large-scale mining: Capiz, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Samar, Western Samar, Northern Samar, and North Cotabato.

He said that even the armed resistance has noticeably intensified since 2007. (Bulatlat)

Share This Post