MS. GINA LOPEZ

OF THE SAVE PALAWAN MOVEMENT

AND ABS-CBN FOUNDATION

VS

MR. GERARD BRIMO

OF PHILEX MINING CORPORATION

AND FORMERLY OF THE CHAMBER OF MINES

OF THE PHILIPPINES

The Mining Debate in Development At Work Fora

25 May & 3 June 2011

25 May 2011, 3 June 2011 -- The Center for De-velopment Management’s (CDM) Development At Work seminar series hosted the debate on mining in Palawan on two consecutive fora. Ms. Gina Lopez of the Save Palawan Movement and ABS-CBN Foundation spoke on May 25 2011, and Mr. Gerard Brimo of Philex Mining Corpo-ration and formerly of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines presented his counter-argument on June 3 2011.

Gina Lopez on mining’s adverse effects

The premise of Ms. Gina Lopez’s presentation on mining was simple: the Philippines has the most biodiverse natural forests, the kind where animal and plant species have yet to be named and discovered, the kind that should not fall victim to the effects of mining, as so much of our land already has.

Speaking as the head of the Save Palawan Movement, Lopez showed videos and photo-graphs of her travels to Palawan’s virgin forests, with clean waters and wild flora and fauna, as well as her conversations with the indigenous peoples of these areas that live with and off of these natural resources. In stark contrast to these beautiful images were those of mining sites, from the past and in more recent times, and how these have changed natural landscapes and seascapes, and how mining accidents have adversely affected people’s lives.

Showing highlighted maps of regions that are currently going through large-scale mining, as well as those with mining applications, including Palawan and Zamboanga, Lopez bravely pointed a finger not just at mining corporations, but also at the national and local governments. According to her, while laws exist to guard against mining in protected areas, this does not usually matter given corruption on the level of local governments. Mining corporations become the source of development in these areas as they build schools and hospitals and homes, which puts the local government at an advantage of not having to spend on these basic services for their constituents. Lopez also pointed out that in these areas where mining exists, towns remain impoverished, highlighting the fact that the profits from mining do not go back to the community.

Because it’s clear to Lopez and the Save Palawan movement the “benefits” of mining, she asks the basic question: is it worth it? Do the benefits of mining outweigh the damage that it could do on the environment? Can we – or should we – ignore the possibility of an accident happening in mining sites, given our experiences with such?

More on Gina Lopez.

More on the Save Palawan Movement.

Gerard Brimo on large scale mining's bene-fits to the community

Gerard Brimo’s presentation responded to the Save Palawan Movement in two ways: first, by clarifying certain photographs, maps and sources that the latter used in its own presenta-tion, and second, by highlighting the mining sector’s own efforts at contributing to the com-munities they become part of.

With regards maps that highlight the areas where large scale mining exists vis a vis mining applications, Brimo asserts that in fact many of these applications are never approved, and will just stay on that map without actually beginning operations. A revision of that map, as far as he’s

concerned, is crucial to a better assessment of mining’s presence in the country.

A presence that, as far as he is concerned, has been well-controlled across the country, and even more so in Palawan where provincial min-ing laws are followed alongside national mining laws. Brimo also mentioned the fact that the photos of mining sites left in disarray, are of the past, before there was a sense of a environmen-talism and sustainable development in the coun-try and the world. He also highlighted how the areas that have gone through lateritic mining actually aren't biodiverse forests, owing precisely to the fact of this mineral not being conducive to that kind of growth.

Showing images of what happens in current mining sites that respect local laws on the envi-ronment, Brimo's presentation also highlighted large scale mining's successful efforts at reforest-ing area upon area of mined sites. Alongside the infrastructure that they build for and the ser-vices they provide the community, Brimo high-lighted how mining corporations actually do more than they are required, where they create industry and capital in areas that previously had very little of it.

In the end, as far as Brimo is concerned, it is a question of saving Palawan and the environment from mining; it’s a matter of seeing that mining, ecotourism and environmentalism can go hand in hand towards development.

More on Gerard Brimo.

More on the Chamber of Mines Philippines.