We,
the anti-mining advocates all over the country today, September 15, 2015, are
officially launching what we call “Mining
Hell Week” as symbolic protest against the Philippine Mining Conference
2015 which is also starting today spearheaded by the Philippine Chamber of
Mines. And to show my sentiment against that Congress, I am telling the world that as long as we have ladies like those I will mentioning later, we are ready to give the mining
companies one hell of a legal fight.
Environmental
lawyers in the Philippines are rare species and as fragile as the ecosystems
and the poor and marginalized people they are protecting. Generally categorized
as public interest legal practitioners, instead of serving powerful economic
interests, they practice law and stand in behalf of the country’s natural
resources. I had a chance listening to their lectures last August 26-28, 2015
at Submarine Garden Beach Resort 1 in Brgy. Sawang, Lobo, Batangas while
attending the MIMAROPA Paralegal Training sponsored by Alyansa Tigil Mina or
ATM.
Atty.
Grizelda “Gerthie” Mayo-Anda is the Executive Director of the Palawan-based
Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), an alumnus and professor at UP
College of Law. ELAC is an environmental non-government organization committed
to helping communities uphold their constitutional right to a healthful and
balanced ecology. In elaborating theories of environmental justice, Atty.
Gerthie told the training participants from all over MiMaRoPa provinces
including Masbate, that environmental justice brings together environmental
protection and social justice and this is grounded in Article 2, Section 16 of our
constitution where the right to sound environment and as a national policy, to
promote sustainable development, with land use and carrying capacity as important
concepts, are guaranteed.
Aside
from other cases Atty. Gethie are handling all over the land, she is also into challenging the operation of Rio Tuba Mining in Bataraza and Citinickel
Mines and Development Corporation in Narra despite that the areas are core
zones or restricted zones under RA 7611. Atty. Gerthie believes that the local
government officials should be more concerned about protecting the last
remaining natural resources and the people than the interests of private
investors.
On
the other hand, Atty. Mary Grace Ellen “Grace” S. Villanueva dwelt on the
topics “Measures and Procedures in Building Up Environmental Cases” and
“Citizen’s Remedies in Violations of Mining-relevant Environmental Laws”. Atty.
Grace has been working as a lawyer for indigenous peoples, upland rural poor
and farming communities and their members, and representing them at judicial
and quasi-judicial tribunals so they could defend their rights to life, land
and natural resources. At present, she
is the legal coordinator for Legal Resource Center or LRC.
The
conference dubbed “Mining Philippines” is a 3-day event starting today until September
17, 2015 at the Solaire Resort and Casino Manila in Manila. This event
showcases mining products in Minerals, Metals and Ores industry.
And to counter this event, I “showcased” two brave and dedicated ladies
from the ranks of the earth protectors. I paraded people while the mining
companies paraded products. It only goes to show that for the environmentally-destructive
firms, the latter is more important than the former...
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(Photo: behance.net)
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