MINING IN THE PHILIPPINES

(A Position Paper)
by: Kyla Gidaya
A destruction of environment due to mining. It has various advantages and disadvantages that affects
the environment and the lives of every human being in the Philippines. Mining is the process of
digging mines to obtain minerals, metals, and jewels that serves as the livelihood to every human
being. It gives people some of the resources needed for modern civilization, but it can lead to
environmental harm. Some are opposite and based on opposition to destructive mining practices and
others dislike mining in general. Humans need a wide range of natural resources to create the
products modern civilization needs. While alternative forms of energy are becoming more worthwhile,
most of the areas need coal, natural gas, and uranium to provide energy. Similarly, oil is necessary
for powering vehicles and the transportation industry. Mining allows people to use these resources.
Mining is one of the resources that mostly common Filipinos choose as their source of living. A mine
is a pit of tunnel wherein a miner used to dig in getting minerals such as coal, gold, and diamonds are
taken. According to Josephine C. Maguad, Senior Environmental Management Specialist of EMB-
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) mining is an employment for economic
growth in a certain country, it increase also the revenue for the miners as well as for the government
fund, it is a source of livelihood for the people around a certain area, the social development for the
community and other stakeholders and in the larger community. She also mentioned that it could also
transform into other uses, used for natural resources, can alter and for enhancement for the area, it is
also for the rehabilitation to bring back healthy condition of the soil after they used it. The people
around the community need also to plant more trees for renewable resources and for the carbon
dioxide. So at the end of every mining, there will be the possibility of gaining more nutrients from the
soil. There are a lot of advantages of mining that could give to the lives of every person. It is a little bit
unfamiliar to those people who are new about this matter. But, it helps a lot to the economic growth of
the Philippines as to the other stakeholders all over the country. It is indeed a stepping stone to faster
earnings. It is a development for the community certainly the rapid out-growth of resources. She also
discussed about the negativity of mining such as it decreases the natural resource that is supplied by
nature, if it is irresponsible and have mismanagement in mining, there is also a possibility of pollution
in land, air, and water. It is bound in the Republic Act (RA) 7942 law or the Philippine Mining act that
speaks about the environmental act in land, air, and water if a single person is irresponsible and not
maintaining the growth of natural resources. Mining is definitely having a lot of disadvantages that
could trigger the crisis that is very rampant in the country. Just like every time there is landslides and
floods that softens the soil in the mountainous part. The miners themselves need to take risks so that
they could raise their own families and help them out to survive. Just like if there is an earthquake, the
lives of the miners will be in danger because there is the possibility that the place will be destroyed
and broken down that could lead to death. It is a matter of taking risks and a matter of choice for them
because in some areas it is the easiest way to uplift their own lives as well as for their
family. According to a research of rappler.com, representatives from the mining sector expressed
their reservations about the plan to declare eight provinces as mining-free zones during a Senate
hearing. These areas are: Cagayan de Oro City, Catanduanes, Nueva Vizcaya, Eastern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Biliran, Davao City, and Second District of Sorsogon. Chamber of mines of the
Philippines vice president for policy Ronald Recidoro said that banning mining from those areas will
“set a bad precedent” for the Philippine government and also added that mineral resources are
limited, finite and do not occur everywhere. They are concentrated in only a few blessed provinces.
This deprives the national government of the chance to develop a national industrialization plan.
Around 65% of the Philippines cannot be mined under current laws and executive orders despite the
vast potential of the country as a source of minerals. Meanwhile, mining is destructive to the
environment but Representative Carlos Padilla of the lone district of Nueva Vizcaya is prioritizing the
agriculture over the mining.
There are various advantages and disadvantages of mining in the Philippines that has different
functions and uses which can profit the community in the society. In conclusion, mining should be
stop so that the destruction of the environment will be minimize and the lives of the next generation
will be save, more enjoyable and preserve.