500 Barangay And Chapel Leaders Declare Against Tvi's Entry

500 Barangay and Chapel Leaders Declare Against TVI's Entry

DCMI update

24th May 2006

Jose Dalman, Zamboanga Del Norte Philippines – Around 500 Barangay and Chapel leaders passed a resolution of united opposition to the entry of the mining company TVI Resource Development Philippines.

The company is facing various legal cases on behalf of local communities. One example is the case of the legal and legitimate ancestral domain holders in Mt. Canatuan, Siocon, who province who have a million pesos damage law suit for human rights violations, and the cancellation of its Mineral Production Sharing Agreement.

In a Parish General Assembly called for by the Parish Pastoral Council on May 18, 500 delegates overwhelmingly declared not to accept TVI Resource Development Philippines mining exploration and other mining related activities at the 486 hectares mining claim in Barangay Tamarok.

“We, the delegates of the General Parish Assembly, strongly continue our campaign against large-scale mining”. The desire of the assembly is to protect their local environment and avoid any effects from toxic wastes generated by mining activities as experienced by other places.

The PPC resolution said that the target mining site is currently declared as a watershed area by the Local Government Unit (LGU). It is a counterpart to the marine sanctuary, which was also declared by the LGU.

A few years ago, this municipality was a recipient of the One Town One Product (OTOP) award promoting Agar-Agar as the major product of the town. This would be threatened by the mining.

The company is now employing a local individual in Barangay Tamarok to convince opponents to accept their operations, according to Julito Ango, a Barangay Councilor of Tamarok.

TVI is already mining on the sacred ground of Mt. Canatuan, the ancestral domain of Subanon Indigenous People. The affected communities accused the company of dividing them and getting consent from illegitimate and illegal leaders.

As of the moment, DCMI records show that TVI Resource Development Philippines is the most aggressive mining firm in the Zamboanga Peninsula, as they are also exploring in Bayog and Dumingag Zamboanga del Sur. It has also applied for mining exploration licenses in the town of Sergio Osmenia, Bacungan and Sindangan, which are all in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

Tito Natividad Fiel
Program Coordinator
DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues
G/F, Diocesan Pastoral Center
Sicayab, Dipolog City