ITOGON, Benguet – Six alleged illegal small-scale mining sites in barangay Tuding were recently ordered closed by the Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) because the operators were not able to secure the appropriate permit from the agency.
MGB-CAR regional director Eng. Fay W. Apil claimed that aside from the absence of permit by the operators of the pocket mining areas, the small-scale mining operations were also the subjection of petitions from concerned residents in the area who alleged that the activities of the miners pose a serious threat to the stability of the foundation of their structures because of the continuous blasting operations done inside the mining tunnels.
“We will continue to closely monitor the compliance of the concerned pocket miners to the stoppage order issued by our office because we have been receiving reports that after a few days, the pocket miners again resume their activities inside their designated working areas which is in gross violation of our existing mining laws, rules and regulations,” Apil stressed.
The MGB-CAR official added concerned residents also raised issues and concerns relative to the serious damages inflicted by the illegal small-scale mining activities to the environment of the area, especially the alleged use of harmful chemicals that pose a serious threat to the quality of water in the different bodies of water In the locality.
According to her, the issued stoppage orders were furnished the barangay concerned, the municipal government and the local police force so that they will be compelled to help in the monitoring of the compliance of the pocket miners to the cease and desist order until they are able to secure the necessary permit to do small-scale mining operations from the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB).
She admitted that there are instances when concerned local officials tolerate the alleged illegal mining operations in their areas of jurisdiction because it is the source of livelihood of their constituents but there is a need for them to cooperate in the implementation of existing laws, rules and regulations governing the environmentally critical activity and support the efforts of concerned stakeholders for the sustained preservation and protection of the environment.
Apil explained that one of the reasons that caused the closure of the small-scale mining operations were disputes on the ownership of the land where the pocket mining operations are being conducted that is why the problem in the area is complicated that warrants the interventions of concerned government agencies and the local government so that operators will be convinced to eventually process their permit for the operation of Minahang Bayan with the PMRB.
She emphasized that the agency’s campaign against the continuous operation of illegal small-scale mining in the region will be sustained, especially with the revitalization of the National Task Force Mining Challenge, to help in significantly reducing the impact of pocket mining operations to the state of the environment in the identified mining areas regionwide.
Itogon is one of the mineral-rich towns in Benguet where pocket mining is the main source of livelihood of thousands of residents who opted to stay in the villages because of the lucrative pocket mining operation through the years.
By HENT
