Senator Leila de Lima wants the Senate to investigate the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow open-pit mining in the country after years of closure.
Weeks after the agency cited the job and revenue gains from mineral extraction through this means, the abogado lawmaker said the decision must be “reviewed” and other revenue-generating channels should be explored first – those that don’t cause grave environmental damage.
“It behooves our government to exert all efforts to explore other avenues before resorting to possibly catastrophic means of generating wealth for our country at the cost of sustainability and the welfare of present and future Filipinos,” De Lima said.
The late DENR Secretary Gina Lopez imposed the ban on open-pit mines in 2017, only to be undone by incumbent Secretary Roy Cimatu four years later.
“It is evident from the numerous mining disasters that have occurred in the country that we have still yet to figure out how to consistently extract our mineral resources in a safe and efficient manner and reduce or altogether prevent such accidents from occurring,” De Lima added, noting the disastrous Marcopper Mine tragedy in Marinduque.
Before any open-pit mining firms are allowed to operate, the senator said Congress should take a look first if the proper ecological measures and backup safety protocols are in place to prevent more damage to nature.