By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
her principles. “
If there was anybody who ever went head to head against the powerful mining industry owners, it was Gina Lopez. Now all mining interests have come together to derail her appointment as DENR secretary. Reportedly, the lobby money they contributed stands at about a billion pesos.
Of course the members of Congress can readily be bought. So as ordinary citizens, we should keep an eye on those in Congress who will be going against Lopez. Her point is really simple. Just follow the law, which also means “don’t destroy the environment.” And include a very important thing. Share the bounty of your operation with the affected communities—the host of your operation and those affected downstream.
But the owners of mining companies have a different attitude. They just want to get the gold and other valuable minerals and then give to the affected communities the minimum amount possible. If they can be cheated, cheat them of their legal share or entitlements. The mining company owners or investors still look at the natives of host communities as ignorant and cheap. I guess we should show them what we are made of.
What is being floated around that Lopez is anti-mining is definitely not true. She did not even order the closure of Philex Mining Corporation which released hundreds of millions of pesos of accumulated royalties to the supposed affected indigenous peoples. Allegedly, this was arranged with some local politicians and it was the politicians who got the bulk of the amount. Up to now, that amount has to be accounted for by the group that received it, even after many years. There is a standing order issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for some people to show how that money was distributed but it remains unfulfilled up to this day.
What was the role of some people of Philex there? Oh they can readily say they did not have any hand regarding the matter but this should be a matter worth digging into sometime in the future.
But back to Du30. If he really wants to do something for the people, one way is to cause the confirmation of Lopez’ appointment. He has the power or the influence to sway those going against her. If her appointment is not confirmed by Congress, it just shows that Du30’s pronouncement to stand by the interest of the Filipino people are just empty words. He is a politician, after all.
Gina Lopez said it well on TV. She will not back down regarding her principles. If this will cost her appointment as DENR secretary, so be it. She doesn’t need the money of the mining companies. She cannot be bought. She might even have more than those trying to buy her.
She is the need of the hour of this country. If there is anything our patriotic readers can do for our beloved Philippines, it is to make their voices be heard that Gina Lopez’ appointment must be confirmed.
***
The pronouncement of Senator Zubiri that a mining area in Mindanao is not impoverished and is in fact very progressive is very misleading. He cited that the province is not even with the 20 poorest provinces in the country. The economic income of the province or all the people there might be high, but how is it distributed? Only a few families, the owners of the mining operation there and their henchmen and the politicians there that are readily bought might be getting 95% of that income and the bulk of the populace are just dividing among themselves the 5% left.
To further illustrate, a number of Cordillera provinces are members of the Club 20 or the 20 poorest provinces in the country. But the distribution of wealth in the Cordillera is more egalitarian. I would even bet that the Cordillera provinces might have the highest number of families in the whole country that can send their children to college.
Yes, generally, our lives in the rural areas are difficult but we own our houses and lots and have some farms no matter how humble that enable us to eat three square meals a day and send our kids to college.
We might not be known for our sartorial flair or other trappings of wealth but the Cordilleran family is usually OK economically.
I was sitting in an upscale pizzeria one lunch time and I watched a bit rowdy and obviously wealthy high school kids ordering items on the menu. Each one of them might have ordered about P500 worth of food. I said to myself, “Sure the Philippines is not a poor country but these kids are sons and daughters of those in the upper 10% of the economic crust.” Of course, how could they have afforded being in that expensive restaurant.
In my case, I was there to meet a client who would be footing the bill. Otherwise I would have suffered a heart attack when the bill arrived.
For emphasis, the Philippines is rich but its wealth was cornered by only 10%, or less, of the population. I would not be far off to say that only 30% of the population are OK. The rest, the 70% or about 70 million are in bad economic positions.**
