Mayor: Biggest rally ever shows `true sentiment’ of residents
Some 5,000 citizens of Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur filled the municipal gymnasium to the rafters during a rally held to express the people’s overwhelming support for responsible mining, which, according to their leaders, will provide the best opportunity for economic growth and social development in this remote, mineral-rich yet poverty-stricken mountain town in Southern Philippines.The rally – Bayog’s biggest ever according to Mayor Mary Ann Cartalla – was organized by ASK-K or Alyansa Sa Katawhan alang sa Kalambuan (Visayan, a local dialect, for People’s Alliance for Development) and was attended by residents of all the municipality’s 28 barangays (the smallest political unit in the Philippines), led by practically all local government officials. ASK-K is a multi-sector group formed to help address poverty in Bayog by encouraging investments, such as those of companies that adhere to the principles of responsible mining. Organizers hope to spread their advocacy to the rest of the Zamboanga Peninsula.
“This huge crowd inside the gymnasium reflects the true sentiment of the people of Bayog – that we support responsible mining”, Cartalla said. “It’s the first time this thing happened here…when all the municipal officials came in full force with this many people. Never before in my 12 years as a politician have I seen such a gathering. We cannot muster assemblies as big as this even in our political rallies.”
Bayog — host town of Sitio Balabag in Barangay Depore where TVI Resource Development Phils. Inc. (TVIRD) is conducting exploration activities – earned its status as a municipality in the early 1960s following the rapid development brought about by another minerals development company, Samar Mining. The municipal seal, in fact, bears mining symbols: a pickax, a spade, and a hard hat. Weak metal prices and a lingering labor unrest in the `80s forced Samar to close shop.
“It would not be difficult to convince the people of Bayog to support responsible mining since we benefited in the operations (of Samar Mining) before. Roads were built, along with chapels in far-flung barangays, through mining,” Cartalla related. “I am not afraid that my decision to support mining, will be questioned.”
Since mining stopped operations in Bayog, the living standards plummeted, with residents relying mainly on subsistence farming for livelihood. The town’s road network has since become a picture of neglect, and the coffers depleted on account of a dearth in revenue sources.
“The Philippine Mining Act, passed into law long after Samar left Bayog, would have prevented this from happening,” Rocky Dimaculangan, TVIRD Director for Public Affairs, told media representatives after the event. “This ensures that mining companies are responsible enough to care and invest in socio-economic and environmental management and protection initiatives in their host communities as guarantees for a sustainable future after mine closure.
“We at TVIRD commit to abide by this law, and take several extra miles to ensure the sustainable development of our host communities,” he continued. “We like to think that we are on the right track in Canatuan, where, we believe, we have been successful in developing close ties with the Subanon ancestral domain holders; in treating them as partners in the whole development process.”
Cartalla agreed: “With the possible commencement of TVIRD’s mining operations in Balabag, we believe that our town will benefit much. Even now, when the Company is still in its exploration stage yet, we have already received tremendous assistance in the form of development projects in education and livelihood. That is why I am not afraid to stake my political future for supporting responsible mining. The people of Bayog want development.”
Not far from the venue of the ASK-K gathering, another group of about 1,500 people – a great majority of whom were not from Bayog – were conducting an anti-mining rally. One barangay captain revealed that the vehicles used to transport the rallyists from municipalities and provinces outside Bayog (some as far as Dipolog, 285 kms. northwest) were bankrolled by illegal small-scale miners who have strong interest in exploiting the mineral deposits in this town.
“How can these anti-mining advocates say they are for the protection of the environment when they have allied themselves with illegal small-scale miners who are notorious for their destruction of the environment with their unregulated and apathetic use of toxic chemicals like mercury?” said the barangay captain who requested anonymity. “How can they say legitimate large-scale miners bring about social dislocation when illegal mining operators employ exploitative labor practices like paying poor wages and using child labor?”
Cartalla said Bayog is rich in minerals such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, manganese and chromite. Yet, because these minerals are not yet fully tapped by legitimate mining firms that can bring in socio-economic development by, among others, paying the right amount of taxes and providing gainful employment, majority in Bayog remain poor and suffer by falling prey to abusive ways of illegal small-scale mining operators, or by relying solely on subsistence farming.
“We are poor and hungry yet we are sitting on a mountain of spoiled rice,” Cartalla lamented.
Also present at the ASK-K rally were Constancio Paye, Director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of Region 9; and Ramon Lumigue, Chairman of the Bayog United Subanon Organization. They were joined by various tribal chieftains from Jose Dalman and Siocon towns in Zamboanga del Norte. Siocon is host to TVIRD’s Canatuan Project.
Part of Bayog’s pro-development crowd of 5,000
at the ASK-K rally: It would not be difficult for them to support responsible
mining.
High school students cheer the possible return
of mining operations, particularly that of TVIRD, to Bayog.
Bayog Mayor Mary Ann Cartalla to members of
the media after the rally: “I am not afraid that my decision to support
mining will be questioned.”
Rocky Dimaculangan, TVIRD Director for Public
Affairs, addresses Bayog citizens: “We hope to become your partner in Sustainable
Development.”
