What is Total Mining Ban Means to Me to the Environment?

Figure 01, Unsustainable Mining done by the Mining Companies (image credit; anonymous)

“Because of greed politicians and paganic catholicism in the country, the Philippines suffered from their colorful tongue and the richest that supposed to be for the Filipinos and goes to the oligarchs. Sad to say but that’s the scenario in the country and Juan de la Cruz becomes poorer all of his life!”

Insight

The Philippines is one of the richest that can’t be imagined by the country’s citizens, and it’s because of the oligarch wealthiest people in the country and the government officials who molested Juan de la Cruz and fattened their pocket for their benefits. And this is most likely what happens to my beloved OPHIRIANS who suffered for long years that supposed to be for them. On whatever they did will serve as one of the unethical environmental behavior in spite that the author loves the beauty of the environment as it was, however, the government officials are tremendously practicing graft and corruption for 30-years after the late beloved President Ferdinand Marcos and his administration, who administered the Philippines peacefully subsidizing the poor Filipino families. The ridiculous things, the born of the Oligarch in the Cory Aquino to Noynoy Aquino administrations had molested and poisoned the people of the Philippines only to fatten their pockets. The worst thing that might happen who they were called; Cory is the Mother of Democracy! That was the funny thing ever happening in the country, right? Whereas the Philippine histories have a tweak of so many lies, reconciling of the evil minds and for them, the so-called, Ninoy is a Hero! Are you in favor of that? And many mainstream media in the country are falsifying what’s the nature of the so-called history into their ambitions that many Filipinos have suffered.

Because of the unethical environment and greedy oligarchs that include politicians in the country, false historical books that had been released throughout the educational system and had been teaching throughout the Philippines Schools, and these how pity our Millennial now, right? Other unethical characters are the Paganism of Roman Catholic teachings that we inherited from the Spaniards Friars who wipe-out the country’s history where they thought that the Philippines were discovered by Magellan.

The late strongman who dedicates his life for the Filipino and strengthens the country as one of the stable states in the Far East, however, after 30-years of suffering, another strong man came by the name of President Rodrigo Duterte. And with the same fate of beloved President Ferdinand Marcos, who truly loves the country in the preservation of the lives of the Filipino people. And this makes sense in the present generation and who else? Only him that will restore the environment in the upland and the wetland in sustaining a productive environment for the people that can be justified and live peacefully.

Throwback: Unsustainable and Unethical Mining Operation

In 30-years after the Marcos administration, the mining industries are everywhere whereas graft and corruption from the government sides can’t we count on from Aquino to Aquino administration's that spoiled the trusts of the people and molested the environment for their ambitions. Because of widespread and uncontrolled unsustainable practices in the country, the biodiversity-ecosystem suffered as they don’t care about the environment even and the lives of people living in the wetland and upland areas were tremendously got ill and sick.  Similarly, on various occasions happenings within the environmental sector are due to irresponsible and unethical practices that gave negative impact is done by the mining industries throughout the Philippines to the people that fail to serve sustainable mining in return (Figure 01).

In the recent year under the Duterte administration, however, he subsidized and ordered the implementation of the total mining ban in the Philippines for both large-scale and small-scale mining companies within the ecosystem. With the stern warning from the President is a big step and help on how to sustain and curing a polluted mining area throughout the Philippines to find a solution to a sustainable environment. The order is an excellent initiative and moves from the government which has the political will in reinstating the environment that will help the people in the rural areas and following the order which they are not allowed in doing some mining businesses anymore. And most of the irresponsible that was allegedly committed the crimes are from those tycoon mining companies that can be said as one of those oligarchs in the country occupying the mining area for such cruelty and unsustainable results impacting mostly in the wetland and upland areas.

Figure 02, Effect of Mining to the Ecosystem (source image from anonymous)

It was an argument that even the government took high revenue from the mining industries and always sustain the needs of the country every year budget, however, accompanied with the practice of graft and corruption has been compromised the environmental biodiversity and thus spoiling the land use into chaos and the people are sufferings. With the images (Figure 02 and Figure 03) are examples of what they have done to the ecosystem that provides toxicity in the surrounding environments which were taken and devastated by the 5 mining firms operating in Zambales, and they are Benguet Corporation Nickel Mines Incorporated, Eramen Minerals Incorporated, LNL Archipelago Minerals Incorporated, Zambales Diversified Metals Corporation, and the Shangfil Mining and Trading Corporation.

Figure 03, Mining Operation Aerial View Ecosystem Effect (source image from anonymous)

We learned that these scenarios happenings throughout the country are from the Aquino to Aquino administration's, who is the worst ever president in the Philippines. The author would like to say sorry, but that’s the facts and reality why the Philippines became poor, and we have got from them where the existence can’t be denied and hide with the environmental issues. As one of the examples given and discussed in the Supreme Court of their practices made to the environment whereas the accusations impacted based on the people grievances residing at Zambales for the following reasons and arguments raised and quoted as follows: 1) The destruction of the ecosystem in Santa Cruz, Zambales, and its neighboring municipality of Candelaria, Zambales, extending up to Infanta, Pangasinan; 2) The effect of mining industries on water, air, and soil pollution; 3) The heavy laterite siltation of the river systems, coasts, farmlands, fish ponds, and throughout the residential areas; 4) The forest denudation, resulting in soil erosion and degradation; 5) The exacerbated flood problems during or when the typhoons and heavy rains come; 6) The destruction of the irrigation system located in the Santa Cruz, Zambales, which severely reduced the rice production of the rice granary of Zambales; and 7) The profoundly affected the livelihood of residents.

With those repercussions done by the mining companies, the question is, WHERE ARE THOSE HUMAN RIGHTS? That’s clearly violating the rights of individuals and molesting the ecosystem into an unsustainable environment, which for them, a massive graft and corruption in both government and private sectors! The worst thing there, Filipinos choose the wrong presidents to rule the country.

Total Mining Ban in the Prevention of Ecosystem

Luckily, and with the present government under the eye of Duterte administration who has the political will in resolving environment issues towards lifting total mining ban in the country, which means, this will regain the productivity of humankind living within the radius especially to the people living in the wetland and the upland regions, perhaps, that will affect most especially with the biodiversity but would like to thank our President Duterte of his valuable move and initiatives in securing the nation towards a sustainable environment. Thus, with respect to land use planning for the common goods and love to the environment by the present government administration, admittedly, this will achieve a favorable development within the ecosystem throughout the archipelago. And hence, that will regain and preserve the land for the future generation in sustaining a sustainable environment and prevention as well as mitigating climate change happening in the country. However, if we need to preserve a sustainable environment, it is the Filipino people who must strengthen their opposition to the destructive imperialist mining activity and the agri-plantations due to the damages that cause to life and with the environment.

Conclusion

With all the above-mentioned articulates, the author's ethical position, perspective, and viewpoint on the major ethical issues that are being played within the environment we live in, and hence, it is essential to know things and relate the characteristics of people towards the environment as well as the environmental impact within the ecosystem in aligning with the technological innovation that can be used somehow in saving the earth and the people's demand. Additionally, the importance of political will in the governance and love of the environment are the driven aspects in sustaining a sustainable environment we are dreaming of. However, it is the duty of the people in knowing and applies the rule of law for them towards the environmental view, and similarly, it is our discipline and ethical moves in developing a sustainable environment in the preservation of our future and the next generation.

As a conclusion, as an Environmental Advocate, therefore, the total mining ban means to me importantly and that will preserve our environment and will create production naturally in sustaining a sustainable environment in the upland and wetland areas.

Write-Up References can be Read from this Links;

Gomeseria, RV; (December 2018); “Environmental Advocacy & Conservation Personal Journal & Reflections;” Durreesamin Journal (ISSN: 2204-9827) December Vol 4 Issue 3; the Year 2018

Gomeseria, RV; (January 2019); “What is Total Mining Ban Means to me to the Environment?;” Retrieved from; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330601655_What_is_the_Total_Mining_Ban_Means_to_Me_to_the_Environment