By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
exceptions. ”
Nonoy Oplas: Something’s wrong with the logic of Mr. Albano.
“they did not publish the piece as a letter to the editor….
what intrigues me is he goes as far as deleting it each time I post it in the forum of his article….
the moment Nonoy sees it’s been posted anew, he will delete is again.”
Ignorance of newspaper editorial policy. BWorld editors decide which readers’ comments deserve publication or not, article authors don’t have that privilege.
Beyond ignorance, I think it is deliberate disinformation. I am not an editor, I am just a contributor. If I submit an article, my editor decides the final title, when it will be published, and when a reader sends a long reply or rebuttal, my editor decides whether to publish it or not.
1. “The scenario he painted would ensue if mining would be stopped world-wide but the context of his column is just the stoppage of the local mining industry. Nobody but him is talking about a global ban on mining activities.”
I discussed this in my follow up article, “Six more myths in the mining debate” (March 29):
‘4 Mining can stop in the Philippines but continues in other countries.
Wrong. Mining is either good or bad; if bad then mining should stop worldwide, the same way that anti-coal campaigners want all coal power plants to close worldwide, not just in the Philippines. If mining is good abroad then the good practices should be adopted here.’
2. “their extraction activities do not damage the environment — that the said funds cure all the destructive effects of mining on nature.”
I never said that mining does not damage the environment. It does. Along with urbanization, road construction, land conversions (forest land to agri land, forest to commercial, industrial, residential). The land where our houses, schools, roads, shops, malls, airports, farms, etc. stand used to be forest lands.
3. “Only the self-deluding people like Oplas would believe that all those 28 mines are innocent of the wrongdoings and shortcomings alleged by Lopez.”
There was zero mention in my article about this. Typical strawman argument. What I wrote was
‘6 Closure of many mines means better investment environment because the country is getting more green.
Wrong. DENR Secretary Gina Lopez’s suspensions and closure of many firms has negative signals. There are more uncertainties in the sector now as more regulations are added on top of existing ones, each regulation costing money and time to comply with.’
4. “global cooling… on the basis of a climate episode which up to this time is only in the realm of speculation among scientists.”
Data like this is not speculation. Global warming-cooling cycle is affirmed by many climate and geological studies.
(Picture of a climate graph)
5. “NAC is not displaying the same level of concern for the environment in its mines in Mindanao.”
My friend from NAC, Jose Bayani Dichosa Baylon said that
‘On NAC companies in Mindanao:
Cagdianao on Dinagat island is the only operation to pass the audit.
Taganito in Claver passed the audit
Only Hinatuan in Tagana-an was recommended for closure due to allegations of siltation but the Company has MGB records hat show siltation levels within limits.’
6. “farmers, fishermen and other people whose livelihood are adversely affected by the operations of the mines like the people in Pangasinan and La Union whose farmlands were caked by mine tailings from the mines in Benguet?”
I will be very happy to see that all these mine tailings all come from big mining firms in Benguet, not a single cubic meter of tailings come from small scale mining.
7. “I challenge Oplas to a joint visit to the 28 mines ordered closed and suspended by Lopez for various environmental violations to see who is peddling myths.”
I wish to, but I do not have the resources to make these travels.
Mr. Albano is full of angst against big corporate mining that he has become incapable of distinguishing the environmental damage bet large scale vs small scale mining, and focusing on the issue and resort to strawman arguments and ad hominem attacks.
I suggest that he reformat his comments and submit again to BW editors and hope that it will be published. But in his comment at the BW article itself, he looked down on it as “a small paper” while bragging that the Inquirer has published his 2 letters to the editor in 2016.
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, thank you for finally taking the time to answer my letter. I was worried you would never get around to it seeing that you described my comments as “low life.”
1. “Wrong. The decision whether to (a) publish a comment/rebuttal or not, (b) keep or delete a comment in the comments section, rests on the newspaper editors, not the article authors. I think that editors in general are agnostic about opinions of people so long as basic ethical practices are observed.”
I must own that I am ignorant of the fact that there is at least one newspaper in the country or perhaps the entire free world where the editors comb the comment section to weed out comments for whatever reason. I take off my hat to the one they assigned to see to it that my letter will not stay for long in the thread of your column. I could not get past him no matter how I tried and I tried a lot of times. Talking about ethical practices, I noticed that the taunts are still there. So I cannot help but entertain the idea that the reason they would not allow my letter in the comment section must be something else.
2. “Beyond ignorance, I think it is deliberate disinformation. I am not an editor, I am just a contributor. If I submit an article, my editor decides the final title, when it will be published, and when a reader sends a long reply or rebuttal, my editor decides whether to publish it or not.”
Even if you integrate a portion of the subject comment in your article they will rip it out, Mr. Oplas? I strongly suspect that Myth No. 4 in you sequel was an attempt to answer my contention that even if we stopped mining in the country, goods made of metal that we need will still be available since these could be imported. But the sad thing for your readers is they did not see what you were countering. If your editors are really agnostic as you claim, I am sure they would allow whatever is good enough for a columnist. If they breath down your neck all the time, then sad to say but your cup of liberty is empty but of course that’s your personal business.
3. “The scenario he painted would ensue if mining would be stopped world-wide but the context of his column is just the stoppage of the local mining industry. Nobody but him is talking about a global ban on mining activities.”
“I discussed this in my follow up article, “Six more myths in the mining debate” (March 29):
‘4 Mining can stop in the Philippines but continues in other countries.
Wrong. Mining is either good or bad; if bad then mining should stop worldwide, the same way that anti-coal campaigners want all coal power plants to close worldwide, not just in the Philippines. If mining is good abroad then the good practices should be adopted here.'”
We are talking here about realities and the possible. Not imaginary situations. Of course if we chose to, we could stop mining in the country. In fact, the President very recently talked about a mining ban which puts a stoppage to the activity in the country within the realm of the possible. But as to stopping mining worldwide even if s found to be bad, never heard a more hilarious suggestion in a long time. From what I heard, one of the qualifications of columnists is that their feet is firmly planted on the ground and do not engage in fantasy.
4. “Only the self-deluding people like Oplas would believe that all those 28 mines are innocent of the wrongdoings and shortcomings alleged by Lopez.”
“There was zero mention in my article about this. Typical strawman argument. What I wrote was …”
Not so fast, Mr. Oplas. You wrote this, didn’t you? “4 Mining activities should be stopped since it results in large-scale environmental damage while yielding minimum benefits.
Wrong. Aside from the national income and consumption taxes (corporate income tax, VAT, excise tax, documentary stamp tax), royalties, and regulatory fees, there are plenty of mandatory contributions and community expenditures that a mining company must spend on. These include: (a) Annual Environmental protection & Enhancement Program (EPEP), (b) SDMP, (c) Community development program (CDP), (d) Environmental work program (EWP), (f) Safety and health program, others.”
The word “Wrong” only refer to the second part of the sentence but not to the first part? Kindly clarify the intended effect of the word “wrong” on the sentence. I do not think a responsible writer like you would suggest to his readers that mining should continue even if it results to environmental havoc because it yields a lot of benefits in terms of taxes, fees, etc.
5. “global cooling… on the basis of a climate episode which up to this time is only in the realm of speculation among scientists.”
Data like this is not speculation. Global warming-cooling cycle is affirmed by many climate and geological studies.”
I do not think the debate on whether the world is warming or we are in for an ice age will be concluded soon. Meanwhile, are you recommending open pit mining as a means for Filipinos to prepare for global cooling?
6. Comment on NAC mines in Mindanao
I own that passing the DENR audit at this time does mean something. About the Hinatuan, how its inclusion in list of mines to be closed will play out remains to be seen.
7. “farmers, fishermen and other people whose livelihood are adversely affected by the operations of the mines like the people in Pangasinan and La Union whose farmlands were caked by mine tailings from the mines in Benguet?”
I will be very happy to see that all these mine tailings all come from big mining firms in Benguet, not a single cubic meter of tailings come from small scale mining.”
Granting that a portion of the mine tailings came from small scale mining operations, that would not still make Benguet large scale mines less guilty of the damage they have inflicted on lowland folks through the years. If you like, we could go to the victim farmers in Pangsinan and La Union. I learned from farmers in Sison that the siltation and hardening of the surface of their farms happened during the operation of the Black Mountain and Benguet Exploration. The farmers in the towns of Sudipen, Bangar, Luna and Balaoan in La Union had the same experience while the Western Minolco and the Sto. Nino Mines in Kibungan and Tublay, Benguet, respectively, were operating. In the case of the Tabuk Valley where I live, when the Batongbuhay Gold Mines was operating in the early 80s, our rice harvest decreased by as much as 20 percent on the third year of the mines’ operation because the mind tailings that came with the irrigation water solidified and smothered the rice plants.
8. “Mr. Albano is full of angst against big corporate mining that he has become incapable of distinguishing the environmental damage bet large scale vs small scale mining, and focusing on the issue and resort to strawman arguments and ad hominem attacks.”
Mr. Oplas, where did you get the idea I am mixing up the environmental damage of small scale mining with that of large scale mining?
I have disproved your allegation I resort to straw man arguments in No. 4.
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, anything the matter that you are unable to take on my rebuttal in more than 24 hours? You need more time? When you answer, if you do not mind, kindly include your reaction to my question if we should risk the environment for the sake of the 240,000 mining workforce and their families.
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, you are abandoning the defense of your “Seven myths in the mining debate”?
Nonoy Oplas: many of your angsts are answered here,https://miningasia.blog/
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, I have answered you point by point. May be you should do the same — if you are able to that is. For example, where did you get the idea I am mixing up the damage from small scale mining with that of large scale mining? That’s the way capable debaters do it. Point by point, Mr. Oplas.
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, don’t bother about my angsts. Just go ahead with your rebuttals. Have you shared with a scientist your idea of mitigating the effects of global cooling through open pit mining? Just how much of the steel we use in the country is produced and processed by our local mines?
Estanislao Albano: Mr. Oplas, have no answers?
Note: Oplas has been silent since 12:10 AM of April 9, 2017. I Will share any further activity in the thread if any later.)**
