Canatuan mine the basis of Social Programs, Taxes, Community Support
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At the site of the Sulphide Dam construction during the Zamboanga Del Norte Provincial Board legislative inquiry: (from left) TVIRD Vice President for Philippine Operations Yulo Perez, ZDN Board Member Cedrick Adriatico, TVIRD Public Affairs Director Rocky Dimaculangan (partly hidden), TVIRD Vice President for Environment and Civil Works Jay Nelson and ZDN Board Member and Environment Committee Chairman Felixberto Bolando.
Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte – TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc. (TVIRD)
welcomed last Saturday, August 18, the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Board
legislative inquiry team and the media to Canatuan, and demonstrated the sound
engineering, community support, and economic benefits to the province that accrue
from the mine.
The public hearing and site inspection were called by Board Member Cedrick Adriatico
after he heard reports from anti-mining NGOs that TVIRD’s Sulphide Dam
allegedly collapsed after a heavy downpour last July 11 and 12. A Mines and
Geosciences Bureau inspection team has officially verified that there is no
truth to those reports.
Jay Nelson, TVIRD vice president for Environment and Civil Works, and Magi Bagayao,
TVIRD Canatuan General Manager demonstrated to the Sangguniang Panglalawigan
Environment Committee the structural integrity of both the Gossan Dam, currently
being used to impound gold and silver tailings, as well as the Sulphide Dam
now being constructed to contain tailings of copper and zinc concentrates that
TVIRD will produce next year.
"The design criteria used for both dams were based on Philippine standards
and regulations as well as various operations and engineering criteria used
in North America, and in fact the detailed design and construction supervision
have been provided by top international firms," Nelson said.
"There is no dam collapse," Committee Chair Felixberto Bolando told
reporters after the site inspection. "There is no issue of toxic waste
spill at all. The Sulphide Dam is not yet being used by the company."
Bagayao, for his part, sought to disprove rumors that there are secret outlets
or undeclared exits in the Gossan Dam intended to be used during heavy rainfall
to prevent the overflowing of waste tailings or the collapse of the dam.
"These persistent rumors are just silly," Bagayao said.
The Canatuan Project provides gainful employment to a total of 786 employees,
some 40% of whom are from Zamboanga del Norte, mostly Subanon indigenous peoples.
TVIRD’s tax payments to the Philippine government are increasing: P2.2 million
in 2004; P13.2 million in 2005; and P35.4 million in 2006. (ENDS)
Related press coverage:
http://www.balitapinoy.net/link.asp?smenu=231&sdetail=9308&wpage=1
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/20/yehey/top_stories/20070820top5.html
