Ceap calls on government to declare moratorium on mining
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey, SunStar.com.ph
January 19, 2012

 THE Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (Ceap) and Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) called on government to declare a moratorium on mining activities in country pending review of RA 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

This developed as anti-mining advocates intensified their campaign against mining operations in the country with the staging of the 2012 International Conference on Mining in Mindanao at the Finster Hall of AdDU Jacinto campus on January 26 to 27. The two-day caucus is being organized by Ceap and AdDU.

Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ., president of AdDU and chair of Ceap advocacy commission, viewed mining operations as harmful and destructive to the people and environment, and described RA 7942 as flawed and that it needs review.

He said the present law favors big companies and even foreigners who have the financial capability to invest in mining in the country to the consternation of the Filipino people.

“All of us have to be informed of our rights to mineral in this country. We have to learn how bad these laws are,” Fr. Tabora said during the regular I-Speak forum at the City Hall conference room Thursday.

Tabora said the coming conference, which has “Mina para sa Nasudnong Interes sa Katawhang Pilipino” as its theme, aims to update participants on the present mining operations in Mindanao and its impacts “while strengthening the networking among people’s organizations and NGOs doing work on mining and help ensure that continuing information and education activities on mining are sustained.”

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