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[av_heading heading=’Mining Act ‘worst tool’ for environmental protection?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RANIE AZUE
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Monday, March 5, 2018
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BACOLOD City – Around 500 members of progressive and environment advocate groups led by Defend Patrimony-South marched for the repealing of Republic Act (RA) 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, on the streets of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
The demonstration, held on Saturday, was in time for the 23rd anniversary of the passage of RA 7942.
The groups called the law the “worst tool in plundering the environment and the patrimony of the country.”
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros spokesman Michael Concepcion said several large-scale mining activities have displaced communities in Kabankalan and Sipalay cities and the towns of Cauayan, Hinoba-an, Ilog, and Candoni in Negros Occidental.
The displacements has resulted to loss of livelihood, Concepcion stressed.
Concepcion also cited the Nov. 8, 1982 incident at the now defunct Maricalum Mining Corp. in Barangay San Jose, Sipalay City.
The walls of the mining site collapsed, unleashing 27 to 28-million tons of mine waste to the river system and agricultural fields in the province.
The incident “poisoned” the rivers and affected the farmer’s crops, Concepcion said./PN
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