TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The question came up during the environmental forum conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in this city to take up prevailing environmental issues and concerns with different people’s organizations and other stakeholders in the province on September 13.
Rev. Luis Aoas, chairman of the environmental advocate Kalinga Anti-pollution Action Group (KAPAG), had asked the question after Regional Director Ralph Pablo had clarified that Environment Secretary Regina Lopez is not after the stoppage of all mining activities but only wants to see that those engaged in the activity practice responsible mining.
In answer to Aoas, Pablo related that he personally saw responsible mining practices at work in Australia even as he suggested that local mining companies should imitate the practice of their Australian counterparts.
Aoas informed the ZigZag Weedly that during the forum, people from Pasil had informed that they are conducting a signature campaign for the exclusion of mining areas in their town from the effects of Republic Act No. 10561 which declared the entire province of Kalinga a Tourism Development Area (TDA) claiming that the law was enacted without due consultation.
Still on the issue of the province being a TDA, DENR-Kalinga Information Officer Karen Duyan informed the ZigZag Weekly that a representative also called for the issuance of implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for RA No. 10561.
She said that they were claiming that because of the TDA declaration, and they are now prevented from performing their usual activities in the areas and that they need the IRR to make sure if indeed those activities are prohibited.
Duyan quoted Pablo as telling the representative that it is the responsibility of the LGU to work for the issuance of the IRR and that his office will look into the possibility of creating buffer zones but the residents should show documents that they were there before the TDA law.
Regarding the proposed delineation survey of all potential areas for large and small scale mining in the province for purposes of extraction, various speakers during the forum had suggested that there should be clearance from the DENR, Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Agriculture and the development of the areas should be done responsibly.
Regarding the alleged fish kill in Tabuk City and Pinukpuk due to suspected mining activities, Duyan said it was asserted by an LGU speaker during the forum that the allegation had no basis but, nonetheless, water sampling will be conducted by the Environment and Natural Resources Office of the city.
Several issues against the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP) were also raised during the forum including the unrealistic minimum area requirement of 50 hectares, planting of areas unsuitable for planting and the lack of coordination with host barangay officials with regards to the plantation sites in their areas.
The DENR officials answered that areas below 50 hectares are now allowed and there is now “rigid survey, mapping and planning before awarding of contract” to prevent the planting of unsuitable areas.
They also said there will now be close coordination with barangay officials relative to the survey of the proposed sites and awarding of contract and that the barangay officials will be called upon to participate in validation of accomplishments.**By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
