“Shameless environmental criminals like DMCI remain unpunished or lightly penalized for their violations under the Mining Act.”
Read also:
Bayto, the village that stood up against mining
Green group campaign for ‘zero vote’ for Roxas, other pro-mining candidates
Cops break anti-mining barricade in Zambales
Study says Zambales ‘red’ flood possibly linked to mining
By DEE AYROSO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Environmentalist and indigenous peoples’ groups brought their protest against the Mining Act of 1995 to Makati City, at the doorstep of the company DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI), which, they said, typifies the irresponsible and destructive mining under the said law.
The Mining Act of 1995, or Republic Act 7942, was signed 21 years ago today, March 3. Climate change activists have called for its repeal, as they attributed major mining disasters, ecological destruction and human rights violations to the law’s bias towards large-scale, corporate mining.
“DMCI operates several mining, power, and logging operations across the country, most having long records of forest denudation, water pollution, community displacement, and human rights violations,” said Clemente Bautista, National Coordinator of the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE).
“They are a clear example of the irresponsible brand of mining promoted by the current Mining Act. The Aquino government should suspend the DMCI’s operations, especially their mines in Zambales, Palawan and Antique,” he added.
The protesters cited how DMCI’s mines were persistently suspended for environmental violations.
In July 2015, nine mine workers were killed in a landslide in the coal mine of the Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), a DMCI subsidiary operating in Semirara island, Antique. In March 2015, DMCI’s Berong Mine in Palawan was fined Php120 million ($2.5 million) by the Palawan Provincial Mining Regulatory Board for illegal road construction and river destruction.
In Zambales, massive flooding during Typhoon Lando (Koppu) last year is being blamed on nickel mining by four large-scale companies, including a DMCI subsidiary, Zambales Diversified Mining Corp. (ZDMC). Residents of Batoy village in Sta. Cruz had put up a barricade since mid-January to block hauling trucks servicing DMCI nickel mining. Another barricade was put up by residents in Uacon village, Candelaria town on Feb. 28, but was violently dispersed by police. The mining trucks had been taking the route passing through Uacon ever since they were blocked at Batoy.
Protesters came from as far as Batangas, where the oldest coal plant in the country, DMCI’s Calaca coal plant operates.
“There is scientific evidence that the plant has been emitting harmful and toxic materials in the air and water bodies for several decades. Studies have also shown that these pollutants have caused negative health impacts, especially among young children,”said Petti Enriquez, secretary-general of the Bukluran para sa Inang Kalikasan sa Batangas (Bukal Batangas).
Enriquez noted increasing cases of birth defects and cancer. “Batanguenos have long been calling for the shutdown of the coal power plant,” she said.
“Shameless environmental criminals like DMCI remain unpunished or lightly penalized for their violations under the Mining Act. We should radically change our mining law and enact a new one. A mining law that will ensure erring mining companies like DMCI will be held accountable for their violations and will be barred to continue operating in the country,” Bautista said.
The groups advocate the passage of the People’s Mining Bill, which will reorient the mining industry based on principles of social justice, people’s rights and welfare, ecological conservation and defense of the national patrimony. The country’s mineral resources, they said, should serve agricultural modernization and national industrialization.
Similar protests were held by various groups and mining-affected communities in Zambales, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, and Davao City as part of the Green Flag Day initiated by Kalikasan PNE. 
Read also:
Bayto, the village that stood up against mining
Green group campaign for ‘zero vote’ for Roxas, other pro-mining candidates
Cops break anti-mining barricade in Zambales
Study says Zambales ‘red’ flood possibly linked to mining
