PALAWAN ANTI-MINING PROTESTERS RETURN TO THEIR HOMES:

FEW GAINS ACHIEVED AND MORE CHALLENGES AHEAD

The anti-mining “karaban rally” composed of about 600 protesters from

farmers and indigenous communities had reached the capital city of Puerto
Princesa on the 7th of June (see previous IC release
http://intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-peoples-unite-against-mining-in-
palawan/). The rally had been supported by various organizations and
religious groups such as the Ipilan parish of "Our Lady of Lourdes",
Augustinian Missionaries, the Global Legal Action on Climate Change, The
Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), the Palawan NGO Network,
Inc (PNNI), Haribon Palawan, The Federation of Tribes in Palawan (Natripal),
Bangsa Palawan Philippines, Inc and ALDAW (Ancestral Land/Domain
Watch). The main scope of the peaceful effort was to request the Provincial
Government not to endorse the proposed plans of MacroAsia and Ipilan
Nickel Corporation (INC), and to clarify matters on the Canadian-based MBMI
mining company’s newly approved Financial and Technical Assistance
Agreement (FTAA) application. Such approval has also been announced by
the TORONTO, ONTARIO- GC-Global Capital Corp, a merchant bank,
providing bridge loan services (asset back/collateralized financing), to
companies across many industries such as oil & gas, mining, real estate, etc.
Global's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Ewart commented "The FTAA license
approval represents a major milestone for MBMI Resources. MBMI can now
begin to capitalize on its large nickel resource and pursue contracts for its
product from its network of targeted customers within the region. We also
expect that this will allow the company to pursue discussions with several
major potential strategic partners for the development of large-scale
production facilities in the Philippines. We look forward to following MBMI's
progress in 2010." On the same day (7 June) in which this statement was
made public: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gc-global-capital-corp-
announces-that-its-client-company-mbmi-resources-inc-has-received-ftaa-
application-approval-in-the-philippines-2010-06-07?reflink=MW_news_stmp -
Palawan anti-mining protestors were marching towards Palawan Capital City
to deliver their complains to the Provincial Government. In the evening they
met with the anti-mining Puerto Princesa Mayor, Hon. Edward S. Hagedorn
who sympathized with the motivations behind the rally. Until the afternoon of 8
June a delegation of the rally’s organizers, supported by their NGOs
counterparts, engaged in intense meetings with the Provincial Regulatory
Board (PMRB) and with the Committee on Environment of the Provincial
Government. In one of such meetings, the rally’s delegation questioned the
legitimacy of MacroAsia and Ipilan Nickel Corporations’ applications being
endorsed by the local government of Brooke’s Point Municipality. Atty Mary
Jean Feliciano, former Municipal vice-mayor, said “MacroaAsia was
endorsed by the local government in less than one hour without any public
consultation. It is surprising that the Palawan Council for Sustainable
Development, the agency in charge of protecting Palawan environment, has
in fact, allowed mining companies to explore in ‘core zones’ and ‘watersheds’
of maximum protection” she said. According to Atty Feliciano also “the
National Council for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), rather than defending the
interests of their constituents, are convincing local indigenous communities to
accept mining in their territory, because it will make them rich, will give them
motorcycles and cellular phones. So they are conspiring with mining
companies by bribing indigenous leaders” (http://vimeo.com/11462206). Artiso
Mandawa, spokesperson for ALDAW/NATRIPAL (Ancestral Land and Domain
Watch-Nagkakaisang Tribo ng Palawan) added that for the indigenous
peoples “mining is not Development, it creates conflict among people, and it
destroys our culture by bringing foreign values to our community. Some of my
people still have limited contacts with the outside and are not even registered
in the national and provincial census. They are the first inhabitants to arrive
on this island and yet, for the government, they appear not to exist
(http://vimeo.com/11491685).
As a result of the negotiations taking place between the protesters’ delegation
and policy makers in Puerto Princesa, the Provincial Government agreed that
endorsement of both MacroAsia and INC should require further investigation
and – until all issues are clarified – their applications will be ‘frozen’.
Specifically, Hon. Vicky De Guzman (http://vimeo.com/11364120), member of
the Provincial board, took an open stand in favour of the protesters,
encouraging them to be vigilant of all irregularities dealing with mining
application processes, and to report them promptly to the Provincial
Government”. However, according to Atty Dong Lorenzo of the Environmental
Legal Assistance Centre (ELAC) the search for irregularities must start first in
the Presidential Palace of Malacañang and in the central office of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “The trend is clear that
mining companies are doing everything their money and influence can buy to
get permits and put their projects in place before the new government
officially takes over in a few weeks” Lorenzo said. This view has been
confirmed by Jaybee Garganera, National Cordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina
(ATM). With reference to the recent Financial and Technical Assistance
Agreement (FTAA) approved in favor of the Canadian MBMI Resources
((http://www.mbmiresources.com/s/NewsReleases.asp?
ReportID=402608&_Type=News-Releases&_Title=MBMI-Partners-FTAA-
Application-Approved) he said “it is unacceptable that affected
communities and the rest of the Filipino people learn about this midnight
mining contract from international sources and the mining company, and yet
the DENR itself is mum about it”. He dared the DENR to either deny this
mining contract does has not been approved or immediately release all the
documents as soon as possible”. He added that “it is the highest form of irony
and hypocrisy that a destructive midnight mining deal was fast-tracked in
Palawan, a province that is considered as a global biodiversity hotspot, and
host to one of the wonders of the modern world – the St. Paul Subterrainean
River System”. On the contrary if DENR will push for the endorsement of
MBMI, three mining companies: Narra Nickel Mining and Development, Inc.
(NNMDC), Tesoro Mining and Development, Inc. (TMDI), and McArthur
Mining, Inc. (MMI) will begin their operations in the Municipality of Narra,
Bataraza and Rizal with severe consequences for the livelihoods of hundreds
of farmers and indigenous people, not to mentioned the irreparable damage
to agricultural production and fisheries on which such municipality depend. At
least one of the proposed mining operations cover more than 3,200 hectares
and will impact the Mt. Bulanjao range in southern Palawan, and its unique
ultramafic forest. The area is considered one of the best-conserved
biodiversity hot spots on the island. A total of six major rivers from the
mountain range supply water to both migrant and indigenous population
(http://vimeo.com/11353087 - http://vimeo.com/11386137).

Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director of the National Secretariat of Social

Action of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP-NASSA),
also expressed concern about these new developments. He said “the
granting of this latest FTAA in Palawan, if true, goes against the Catholic
social teaching of stewardship of the Earth and preferential treatment of the
poor”. He added that “given the fragile ecology of Palawan and the opposition
of local communities, especially IPs, the mining contract should be rescinded
as soon as possible”. The influential Catholic Church in the Philippines has
consistently shown its position against large-scale mining, amidst documented
reports from its dioceses that mining operations are impacting the ecology,
livelihoods and access to natural resources of the poor
(http://vimeo.com/11359268).

While the ‘karaban’ anti-mining rally has served to channel more public
attention on mining aggression on Palawan’s UNESCO-declared Man and
Biosphere Reserve, it has also provided additional encouragement to local
communities in consolidating their local struggles. For instance, farmers from
the village of Calategas in Narra, where the Canadian-backed nickel mining
project is set to operate, said they would resort to “human barricades” to stop
the project if a permit is issued by Malacañang. “We will form a barricade if
they issue the permit. We will gather the entire Calategas and set up a
barricade. We won’t mind getting hurt,” said a spokesperson of a group of
farmers opposed to the project. Similar sentiments were also expressed by
people from the Northern Municipality of Roxas, where the Fujian mining
company received an initial endorsement despite the absence of Free and
Prior Informed Consent Processes being carried out with the affected
communities. Surprisingly, also those companies that have already been
apprehended for their illegalities are still allowed to continue. This is the case
of the Citinickel Mine and Development Corporation in the Municipality of
Punang, Sofronio Espanola, which has been accused for the violation of
Section 103 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and for the illegal
deforestation of mangroves during the construction of their company’s pier.

Undoubtedly, the future of mining in the so called “Philippine’s Last Frontier”

will depend on how the newly elected administration will implement
fundamental environmental reforms and actions. "Now that Noynoy Aquino is
set to be proclaimed as the new president, the question that comes up is
whether he will fulfill his promise to bring about a government different and
opposed to the previous Arroyo administration. This would mean taking
concrete steps in implementing positive reforms and reversing the policies
that negatively impacted our people and environment," said Clemente
Bautista Jr. of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan
PNE).
WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Sign a Petition to Stop Mining in Palawan!

http://petitiononline.com/PA2010/petition.html

And address your concerns to:

* PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF PALAWAN

piopalawan@gmail.com
rlnn419@yahoo.compalawan@pal-onl.com

Hon. Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra

district2palawan@yahoo.com.ph

*PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

oed@pcsd.ph
pcsdsfsd@compass.com.ph

*DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONEMNT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

osec@denr.gov.ph
hea@denr.gov.ph

MINES AND GEOSCIENCE BUREAU

mines_r4@yahoo.com

Also forwards your complaints to:

Michael T. Mason
President and Director
MBMI Resources Inc
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
mbr@mbmiresources.com

Jason Ewart
Chief Executive Officer
GC-Global Capital Corp
Toronto Ontario, Canada
jewart@gcglobalcapital.ca

For more information watch ALDAW videos

http://www.vimeo.com/aldawnetwork
http://www.youtube.com/user/ALDAWpalawan
http://hub.witness.org/en/users/aldaw-network
or contact the ALDAW Network (Ancestral Land/Domain Watch)
aldawnetwork@gmail.com and Alyansa Tigil Mina
(nc@alyansatigilmina.net/ alyansatigilmina@gmail.com)