MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 23, 2012) – Filipino environment groups, backed by the Catholic Church, have expressed concern over the operation of the Mindoro Nickel Project.
The groups said Intex Resources announced on January 18 in Oslo Stock Exchange that it entered into a memorandum of understanding with the MCC8 Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese state-owned engineering and construction firm to impel the operation of the nickel project.
Andy Whitmore, of the Philippine Indigenous People Links, is questioning the incessant campaigns of Intex Resources for the MNP as both national and international investigations have raised serious concerns about the project.
“They shouldn’t be putting out releases seeking to boost investment in the project until they were able to provide answers in the investigation conducted by the Norwegian Contact Point,” Whitmore said, referring to the investigation of the Norwegian National Contact Point disclosing that Intex violated certain provisions of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; from the questionable acquisition of Free, Prior, Informed Consent to the unconceivable Environment Impact Assessment that they failed to present to the local authorities.
Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina, said: “Both the OECD and the local investigation team have produced conclusive evidences that the Mindoro Nickel Project is unacceptable to the host communities. It is the height of corporate irresponsibility that Intex is rushing the sale of the project, and washing its hands of accountability.”
“The consortium that speaks of green mining concept is still far from reality thus will not impede in our call for Intex to pull out the project and just respect the local ordinance filed in 2002 prohibiting the entry of all large-scale mining in Oriental Mindoro.”
Jon Sarmiento, of Alyansa Laban sa Mina, said the investment is on high risk, adding “the MNP does not have social acceptability and they are just wasting their time and resources campaigning for the project. Mindoreño will remain vigilant over this matter. We will protect our remaining forest and will not allow anyone, even big companies to extract the minerals underneath… the forest on itself is our wealth.”
In 2009, the Environmental Compliance Certificate for Intex had been revoked after local protest and a hunger strike was done against the project.
Commissioner Dionisia Banua, of the National Commission on the Indigenous Peoples, ensured that despite the current partnership NCIP will ensure that the FPIC will be served and implemented with integrity.
Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, reaffirmed their stand that the government mining policy is like “selling our lands to foreign investors with liberal conditions while our people continue to grow in poverty.”
“We stated that the adverse social impact on the affected communities far outweigh the gains promised by the Trans-national corporations,” Gariguez said.
“We have a bigger call to this government, refrain from promoting the minerals industry, and promote the rights of the Filipino people. Repeal the mining act of 1995, and pass the Alternative Minerals Management Bill that secures all these rights and prioritizes environmental protection and food security over mineral resources,” he added.
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