The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

Metro Manila catholic schools are set to have a more active campaign on ecological issues as it launches the school road show on ecology, indigenous peoples and mining on September 1 at the Manila Cathedral during the Mass celebrated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
The Alyansa Tigil sa Mina (ATM) supports this launching of the school road show to focus on ecology, indigenous peoples and mining and sees this as a good sign of the church and the academe getting more involved in the campaign in ecological conservation, particularly mining.
“We are anticipating a more committed and active involvement of the schools in this campaign, especially as we try to make them more aware of the plight of the indigenous peoples in the Philippines and how they are the ones truly affected by the entry of large-scale mining companies,” Jaybee Garganera of the ATM Secretariat said.

(read more by downloading the full press release from rapidshare)

Need information on which Australian companies have mining interest/ operations in the Philippines? Look no further than this handy pdf, available for download on rapidshare.

No Mining in the Island of Rapu-Rapu: Close Lafayette Mine

(A University Stand)

visit http://www.adnu.edu.ph/institutes/inecar
(for more information, researches and position papers about Rapu-Rapu-Mining)

Mining must not be conducted in Rapu-Rapu for the following reasons: a) Rapu-Rapu is an island ecosystem with steep slope; b) It is characterized by a Type II climate - no dry season with very pronounced wet period from November to January (PAGASA Corona classification); c) It is located along typhoon path; and d) Its massive iron sulfide rocks are capable of generating sulfuric acid. These geophysico-chemical conditions are the reasons why, within only four months of operation, Lafayette mining caused two cyanide spills and fish-kills in October 11 and 31, 2005. Apparently, it also brought about fish-kills in the adjacent province of Sorsogon.

click here to see full position paper

click here to see stock holders

His Excellency
MOST REV. NESTOR C. CARIÑO, D.D.
Bishop of Legazpi
Bishop’s Residence
4500 Legazpi City, Albay

Tels.: (052) 481-2178 Fax: (052) 481-2554
Birth : 09-08-38
Priesthood : 12-31-61
Episcopate : 05-31-78

His Excellency
MOST REV. LUCILO B. QUIAMBAO, D.D.
Auxiliary Bishop of Legazpi
Cathedral Rectory
4500 Legazpi City, Albay

Tels.: (052)480-7192 Fax: (052)480-7192
Birth : 10-30-32
Priesthood : 04-02-60
Episcopate : 04-27-82

His Excellency
MOST REV. LEONARDO Z. LEGASPI, OP, D.D.
Archbishop of Caceres
Archbishop’s Residence 4400 Naga City

Tels.: (054) 473-8583 Fax: (054)473-2800
Birth : 11-25-35
Priesthood : 12-17-60
Episcopate : 08-08-77

His Excellency
MOST REV. JOSE R. ROJAS, JR., DD
Auxiliary Bishop of Caceres
Archbishop’s Residence
4400 Naga City

Tels: (054) 811-2211 Fax: (054) 473-2800
Birth : 08-18-56
Priesthood : 03-29-81
Episcopate : 09-15-05

His Excellency
MOST REV. MANOLO A. DE LOS SANTOS, D.D.
Bishop of Virac
Bishop’s Residence, Fiat Village, Cavinitan
Virac, 4800 Catanduanes

Tels.: (052)811-1408 / 811-1315 Fax: (052)811-1456
Birth : 08-05-47
Priesthood : 05-07-74
Episcopate : 09-12-94

His Excellency
MOST REV. JOEL Z. BAYLON, D.D.
Bishop of Masbate
Bishop’s Residence
Masbate, 5400 Masbate

Telefax: (056)333-2202
Birth : 01-29-54
Priesthood : 10-18-78
Episcopate : 03-25-98

His Excellency
MOST REV. BENJAMIN J. ALMONEDA, D.D.
Bishop of Daet
Bishop’s Residence
Daet, 4600 Camarines Norte

Tels.: (054) 721-1431 / 721-1625 Fax: (054) 440-1474
Birth : 04-11-30
Priesthood : 03-22-58
Episcopate : 01-06-90

His Excellency
MOST REV. ARTURO M. BASTES, SVD, D.D.
Bishop of Sorsogon
Bishop’s Residence
Sorsogon, 4700 Sorsogon

Tels.: (056)211-1289 Fax: (056)211-1842
Birth : 04-01-44
Priesthood : 11-28-70
Episcopate : 08-21-97

His Excellency
MOST REV. PROSPERO N. ARELLANO, D.D.
Bishop Prelate of Libmanan
Bishop’s Residence
Libmanan, 4407 Camarines Sur

Tels.: (054)451-2098 Fax: (054)451-2011
Birth : 01-17-37
Priesthood : 03-30-63
Episcopate : 03-19-90

SECOND BIKOL PRIESTS’ CONGRESS (BPC II)
SIGNATURE DRIVE TO STOP MINING IN RAPU-RAPU

Universidad de Santa Isabel, Naga City, 10 August 2006

We, the Bikol Clergy - Bishops, Priests and Deacons - gathered at the Second Bikol Priests’ Congress (BPC II), wish to convey our strong opposition to the continued presence and operations of Lafayette Philippines, Inc. and its subsidiaries, RRMI and RRPI in Rapu-Rapu, Albay.

Our stand is supported by the findings of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission (RRFFC), headed by Bishop Arturo Bastes, S.V.D., D.D., and solid scientific studies conducted by the Ateneo de Naga University-Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research (INECAR). Studies done by Dr. Emelina Regis, INECAR Director, find the island dangerously unsuitable for mining due to the following reasons:

“[It is an] island ecosystem with steep slopes; [it has a] Type II climate,[Le.,]there is no dry season, with very pronounced wet period from November to January;[it is] located along the typhoon path; and [it has] massive iron sulphide rocks with acid-generating capacity or Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)…The resulting impacts of AMD include death to living organisms and release of toxic heavy metals that causes loss of productivity of aquatic and terrestrial plants… [and ultimately,] destruction of livelihood in agriculture and fisheries…These impacts will persist for a long time. Heavy rains will continue to erode loosened contaminated soil. Silt and tailings that poison the land and sea will leave behind unproductive land and dead coral reefs… There is no justice in sacrificing the survival of generations of people and other living organisms for the short-term gains of a few.” (INECAR Position Paper regarding mining in Rapu-Rapu: Closure of Lafayette Mine, 15 February 2006) (more…)

See our Sites of Struggles page for a link to a few public domain Rapu Rapu related documents.

Our file storage system is ungainly, but with our dedicated website soon to launch, expect a major overhaul and excellent online resources.

Press Release
13 September 2006

Several protest actions in Brussels, Belgium yesterday (Sept. 12) unmasked Gloria Arroyo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police as the masterminds of the political killings in the Philippines.

After being criticized by the prime minister of Finland during GMA’s visit there, GMA was hounded by several protests in Brussels during her visit to the Belgian Parliament and the European Union.

Before being reminded by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso that the political killings in the Philippines “were a matter of concern” to the EU during their meeting, about 100 protesters gathered earlier at the Schuman plaza fronting the European Commission building to denounce GMA, the AFP and the PNP as “the masterminds” behind the political killings. (more…)

PRESS RELEASE - Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC)

September 13, 2006

Boac, Marinduque - The Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC), a church-based multi-sectoral organization in the Province of Marinduque is alarmed by the proliferation of mining companies in the Island-Province and other parts of the country which pose as ’small-scale’ players in the mining industry.

Just recently two mining companies, the Asian Iron Ore Corporation and Archean Mining Corporation, held a public consultation in Barangay Bocboc offering various economic opportunities to the people if they will be allowed to operate a “small-scale iron mining project.”

Barangay Bocboc is in the town of Mogpog and was one of the barangays which was grimly and critically affected by an enormoug flooding wrought by the collapse of Marcopper Mining Corporation’s Maguila-guila Siltation Dam on December 6, 1993 where two children died of drowning. Their civil case filed against Marcopper Mining Corporation and Placer Dome is still being heard in the Regional Trial Court of Marinduque. (more…)

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=50200

An international mining conference in the Philippines next month has been postponed, the local industry association said Tuesday, amid reported concerns over government policies on exploiting the country’s vast mineral resources.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines announced on its website that the October 3 to 5 meeting had been postponed until next year, with the date “to be announced later.”
The statement gave no reason for the postponement.

Mining executives here had planned to use the Manila meeting to make foreign investors more aware of the country’s untapped resources sector, said to be worth in excess of one trillion dollars. (more…)

http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=855&Itemid=50
Written by MindaNews
Tuesday, 12 September 2006 00 00 00

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/11 Sep) — A known player in Australia’s mining industry is likely to directly dip its finger in mining activities in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur, reports said.

Xstrata Copper is likely acquire anytime this September 62.5 percent of the Australian firm Indophil Resources NL, which in turn holds a 40-percent stake at Sagittarius Mines, Inc., the company doing explorations in the area, said Rolando Doria, Sagittarius project coordinator.

The remaining 60 percent of Sagittarius is owned by local stakeholders, he added.

The Australian partner, however, has been providing management, technical and financial assistance to the mining venture as local stakeholders have no capability and resources yet.

The mining project straddles the towns of Tampakan in South Cotabato, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur. It was resurrected in 2003 by Sagittarius from previous owner Western Mining Corp. (more…)