PHOTO by Vincci Joules Acol
Philippines—known for its richness in natural minerals and having one of the world's largest gold reserves, is unfortunately the top destination for local and international mining corporations.
For years, the call for responsible mining has been pushed numerous times, yet we're still getting slapped with news of poisoning lands and dying people due to such activity.
Posing danger to biodiversity and to the main source of the local fishermen, and its ill-effects on the inhabitants in the midst. Mining has always been there, tormenting and destroying our lands, but up until now, the littlest or even no actions have been prosecuted.
Activists are here and there posting, speaking, and rallying for the effacement of such operations, but to no avail.
At times, mining is pushed to serve economic growth. Making jobs for people who are lurking in tunnels and by making a life rooted from below the ground, while being in a life or death situation.
It has done more harm than good, not only to the environment, but also to the people.
In Eastern Samar, the island of Homonhon—known for its history as it is where the Spanish exhibition led by Ferdinand Magellan landed on March 16, 1521—has been raised with concerns as intensified mining operations have been happening in the island since 1983, and its abrupt effects to the community are causing much consternation.
Nickel and chromite are abundant in the Homonhon island, resulting into rampant abuse by mining companies, who have failed to pay real property taxes amounting to ₱133 million—this speaks a lot to our declining economy—while having the nerve to torment the lands with heavy, noisy equipment.
What seems to be bread and butter for some, is known to be full of woe by many.
As it threatens the surroundings, it also threatens the lives and sustenance of thousands of people.
The lurking dangers that can be avoided are the ones that constantly haunt us. Its detrimental effects on the environment and the communities near or around minesites who are adversely affected, to name a few. We cannot escape the horrors that mining has to offer.
As we are in a democratic country where liberalism is a must, we should work collectively and collaboratively to make our unheard voices heard, to bawl out the annihilation of irresponsible and illegal mining operations in the country.
The powerful people who work for the law who give divine interventions to mining corporations for the sake of reeking money, notwithstanding that they know for a fact that they enforce illegal operations, should be questioned on why they are still in office, as they are the ones who should help in protecting the welfare of everyone and everything under their vicinity.
The desire and yearning for a better tomorrow are still there, and we shouldn't let them disappear.
As long as we have those who are assertive in condemning the mining from the south, although not really doing so, then the call to eradicate negligent and wreckless mining would be deemed pointless.
The goal of having a mining-free country will just turn out to be another wretched dogma.
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