FYI: Note sent to Sec. Neric Acosta this morning. Hon. Neric Acosta Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection Malacanang Palace, Manila Dear Sec. Acosta: Warmest greetings from the Concerned Citizens of Sta. Cruz, Zambales (CCOS)! Thank you for listening to stories of environmental destruction in the town of Sta. Cruz and putting our town under the watchlist of Malacanang. This is a big relief to farmers, fisherfolks, commuters, students and professionals, and the majority of the people. The suspension orders did not come easy, it was an uphil battle for concerned citizens whose only asset when the campaign started was our grim determination to save our town from further destruction and few volunteers from all walks of life who suffered economically and physically and emotionally long enough from mining related environmental destruction. The air, water, and land were all polluted with ultra-high level of nickel. The corals and sea are already affected. Yet, the Catholic Church, most of the government officials, elected and appointed from the barangay to the regional level are not on our side. We have no other recourse but to go direct to the national government. In the middle of 2012, I personally met DENR Sec. Ramon Paje. I submitted to his office our complaint. Thus, he directed the regional offices to act on the complaints, but the response of the regional offices except for the DA and the CHR, is pathetic. MGB Region 3 Director Uykieng is clearly on the side of the miners. To put it bluntly, last February, Sec. Leo Jasareno of MGB Central Office told me, Doc, all the reports we received from the region did not mention any environmental destruction, only your group mentioned such. I would like to see it. I have to go there secretly. The regional and local government officials and the miners will not be informed. He visited Sta. Cruz on the 19th and the 25th of February 2014. On the 19th, he saw the fishponds filled with nickel laterite, coastlines with nickel laterite, dusty and potholed national and provincial roads, and farms with nickel and nickel laterite. On the 25th, he visited the mining sites and met with the miners. In spite of his visit, the violations of the mining companies continued. Agreements, specifically on hauling operations as early as 1st quarter of 2013 are not followed, thus the roads remain dusty and the air we breathe contain TSP two to three times over the Clean Air Act standard. Thus, people living on the roads have chronic cough, colds, asthma, and skin allergies. Mining extraction methods were also found destructive to say the least and the mechanisms to protect the environment are deficient. Thus on 15th of July 2014, all the operations of the mining companies were suspended. This brought joy to the majority of the peoples of Sta. Cruz, only the corrupt local government officials, the mine workers and employees, and the miners who complained. Some mining companies did not admit their violations, instead they poisoned the minds of their workers putting the blame on me and the CCOS as the reason of their suspension. This angered the workers and the workers turn their ire against us. Lifting of the suspensions has conditions, to wit: desilt and rehabilitate affected environment, farms, rivers, coastlines, fishponds, among others; repair destroyed roads; compensate affected people; correct destructive mining practices; build structures that will ensure protection of the environment… Since the suspension of the mining operations, the people were able to open their windows, dry their clothes facing the road, can travel faster with less risk; can walk along the road without covering their noses; their colds, cough, asthma and allergies resolved; and fear of deluge when heavy rain pours minimized. The people can smile and sleep better. However, the farm produce continue to decline and if this will continue, the title of Sta. Cruz as the rice bowl of Zambales will soon be history. The fish and shells are yet to come back in the rivers, the catch of the fisherfolks remain less and the people affected - farmers, fisherfolks and people afflicted with nickel related diseases - are yet to be compensated. The production of the best mango in the world grown in the northern towns of Zambales is still down. The total value of the environmental destruction is yet to be assessed much less compensated. In spite of the non-compliance of the mining companies to the conditions set for the lifting of their suspension, they continue to pressure the local and the government officials to support their bid for the lifting of their suspension. The local officials (from barangay kagawads to the governor) who have been acquiring MUCH WEALTH since the start of the mining operations are in full support of the lifting of their suspension, thus, these local officials may approve a municipal and a provincial resolution in accommodation of the request of the mining companies. Lately, the mining companies are preparing for their reopening. They have been announcing that they will operate soon. This has alarmed the people for it will mean the continuing environmental destruction and the nickel related diseases, yet the conditions for the lifting of their suspension are yet to be met. If the government will allow this, that is lift the suspension orders, this is clearly a human rights violation. This will further the loss of the people’s trust to the government. We do not want this to happen. Thus, we are appealing to your good office to protect the environment of Sta. Cruz. By doing this, we can reap more benefits done the mining can. We will continue to: (a) be the rice granary of Zambales; (b) produce the best mango of the world; (c) be a tourist destination; (d) be the second home of Mindoro pine; (e) produce more fish and catch more marine lives; and (f) be proud of our good roads and healthy people. Lastly, we reiterate our invitation to you to come and visit our town. Let your eyes see the destruction so that we do not need to convince you with voluminous documents and lengthy letters. However, we could not invite you to take a dip in our rivers and seas. The nickel content is at least ten times over the acceptable level. It will surely make your skin itchy. Thank you very much for your time. God bless. Respectfully, Benito E. Molino, MD Chairperson, CCOS
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 02:47:11 +0000