Gov’t to undertake rehabilitation of mining sites in areas affected by Ompong

September 18, 2018

The government will push for the rehabilitation of mining sites in northern Luzon where massive landslides took place when Typhoon Ompong hit the country over the weekend, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government would also follow the Boracay model in assisting people who would be displaced due to the temporary closure of small-scale mining operations in the area, specifically the Cordillera Administrative Region.

"It’s akin to rehabilitating the mined-out areas of the Cordilleras and it would be an attempt to actually allow the environment to recover because this is actually a result of environment degradation. I think everyone agrees that while the rain was too much, there’s also a man-made contributions to this disaster," he said.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered on Monday the suspension of all small-scaling mining activities in CAR as he also revoked temporary permits given to some mining associations.

Over 50 people have been killed in CAR due to landslides during the height of Ompong, which made landfall in Cagayan on September 15.

With at least 10,000 people who could be displaced with the suspension of the mining operations, Roque said the government would provide similar assistance as what it has been doing to the affected residents in Boracay island in Aklan.

The government has closed Boracay for six months until October to rehabilitate the famous tourist destination after President Rodrigo Duterte likened it to a "cesspool."

Roque expressed hope that within six months, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources could come up with a decision on the Minahan ng Bayan in CAR so that the displaced workers could return to their job.

During the President' visit to Benguet on Monday, he ordered Cimatu to take a second look on the possibility of closing all the open pit mining in the country.

Duterte has said if he could have his way, he would ban mining despite the P70 billion revenue that the government raises from the sector annually.

But he admitted the Department of Finance, which is tasked to look for revenues for the government, would probably oppose it.

Roque said the government has to do a balancing act.

But he added, as what Duterte has said, "He has insinuated already. That is high time for everyone to consider doing away with mining." Celerina Monte/DMS