Providing medical assistance to over 550 beneficiaries in Barangays Tinigbasan and Lawigan
Tubay, Agusan del Norte / November 2014 – Agata Mining Ventures Inc. (AMVI), a joint venture of TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD), in partnership with Sociedad Española de Beneficencia Inc. (SEB-Manila), a charitable institution dedicated to the care of both Spanish and Filipino indigents in the country, conducted a joint medical mission in the coastal barangays of Tinigbasan and Lawigan in Tubay Municipality, Agusan del Norte. Last November 6 and 7, the combined medical team comprised of AMVI medical personnel, volunteers and doctors from the Philippine National Police (PNP) provided check-ups, consultation and medicines to some 554 beneficiaries in the mining company’s host communities.
The two-day activity, which was coordinated with the respective barangay councils, likewise received the strong support and participation of Tubay Municipal Mayor Fidel Garcia, the PNP and the Tubay Women’s Federation.
“We are overwhelmed by the support and assistance constantly being provided to us by AMVI,” expressed Lawigan Barangay Captain Nilo Mordeno during the event. He also noted that – owing to AMVI’s operations – the area has experienced an increasing trend in its economic activity as well as employment opportunities reaching his constituents.
Providing access to healthcare
Prior to AMVI’s entry, both barangays sourced their livelihood primarily from fishing and had limited access to social services and adequate health care. Apart from implementing its efforts towards responsible Coastal Resource Management, AMVI is actively rolling-out its Health and Sanitation initiatives in the area – this, as a vital component of its overall Social Development and Management Program (SDMP). It also draws best practices from TVIRD’s flagship Canatuan project where the company’s lying-in clinic received a yearly 14 thousand consultations and admissions during the height of its operations.
“Sociedad Española de Beneficencia welcomes the opportunity to complement TVIRD’s healthcare program for communities at its Agata mining project. Similarly, we are heartened to play an active role in directly addressing specific issues like respiratory tract infection, which we recorded as the highest occurring illness in the area,” said SEB Executive Director Laura Hidalgo-San Jose.
Other health issues addressed by the mission include urinary tract infection, hypertension, skin diseases, tension headaches, muscle spasms, arthritis and various gastro-intestinal problems, among others.
The foundation provided all the required medicines for the medical mission, including vaccines, antibiotics and vitamins for children who comprise more than 50 percent of the beneficiaries. Following the success of its joint medical mission, San Jose pledged another shipment of medicines for Barangay E. Morgado in Jabonga Municipality – in line with SEB’s monthly barangay medicine assistance program.
Responding to the community’s needs
To date, and since its days of early exploration, the company has been conducting supplemental feeding programs to reduce the occurrence of malnutrition. It likewise supports the repair and construction of school buildings, churches and public infrastructure – all of which aims to foster long-term development in the area.
“Our recent medical mission is testament to AMVI’s ongoing commitment to its host and neighboring communities. The company is glad to have been able to help Barangay Tinigbasan and Barangay Lawigan since both coastal barangays have limited access to medicines and medical personnel. This (medical mission) is just the beginning of other similar efforts the company will conduct in its MPSA area,” according to AMVI Community Relations Superintendent Bon Clarabal.
Apart from social programs, the company is also engaged in various environmental management programs that are geared towards maintaining a healthy and stable ecosystem for the overall sustainability of its immediate and neighboring communities.
AMVI holds the 4,995-hectare Mineral Processing Sharing Agreement (MPSA) area that spans the municipalities of Tubay, Santiago and Jabonga. Ownership of the TVIRD-operated joint venture is shared with Mindoro Resources Ltd. (MRL) and Minimax Mineral Exploration Corporation. It is the third successful mining project that TVIRD brought on-stream in the past 10 years, directly succeeding the Canatuan gold-silver and copper-zinc projects in Zamboanga del Norte.
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