Groups welcome P-Noy’s Call for New Mining Law
But assert for a paradigm shift from the Mining Act of 1995

Advocates of a new minerals management law that will replace the flawed Mining Act of 1995 were pleased by the recent pronouncement of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday as he laid out his legislative stand on mining.

In his SONA, President PNoy urged Congress to pass a law that will protect the environment, while reaping just benefits out of mineral extraction not only for this generation but for the next to come.

Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) and also one of the council of leaders of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) said that “This is a good gesture on behalf of the President; it is an acknowledgement that his mining EO (EO79) is not enough. to rationalize mining industry in the country.

EO 79 received negative responses from groups led by CBCP-NASSA, ATM, Philippine Miserior Partnership (PMP), and Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC).

“The question now is what new mining law that the President is pertaining to? He should know that we have been advocating for the passage of the Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB) in Congress “Fr. Edu added.

In the recently concluded CBCP national plenary convention 72 out of the 89 Bishops signed a petition of support urging for the immediate passage of the AMMB.
Champions of the AMMB in Congress also welcomed this development. Ifugao Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat claimed that “the AMMB is already being deliberated in the Lower House of Congress”.

“While we welcome the President’s pronouncement, we ask him to make this Bill (the AMMB), a priority bill that this Congress should pass before the end of the 15th Congress. On behalf of my colleagues in the lower house championing this bill, we will work with him to make this happen.” asserted Rep. Baguilat.

The AMMB is a consolidated bill of House Bills 206, 3763, 4315 and several minor mining bills and is now authored by 41 Representatives in the congress. A senate version of the consolidated bill was also filed last February 15, 2012 by Sen. Sergio Osmena III.

Gerry Arances, program officer on mining of the Legal Right and Natural Resources Center (LRC) asserted that “AMMB is what our country needs. “A new minerals management laws that will address the issues and concerns that mining-affected communities, indigenous peoples and farmers, have long been raising which includes the devastation of our rich but fragile ecosystems” Arances added .LRC is the lead convener of SOS-Yamang Bayan Network.

“AMMB promotes the rational, needs-based, rights-based and domestic-oriented utilization and management of our mineral resources which is a break from the ‘profit-oriented’ framework pushed by the Mining Act of 1995.” Arances explained.

Ka Ponyong Kadlos, Coordinator of Kapulungan Para Lupang Ninuno (KPLN) and representative of the affected-mining Mangyan communities and indigenous peoples said that “by supporting the AMMB and making it a priority bill, the President and the Congress are making a stand with the people— This upholds the fight of the mining-affected communities, indigenous peoples to protect our environment, and for the present and future generations of our country.”

“For us this is the real essence of their ‘tuwid na daan’ for our mining industry, our communities and environment” Ka Ponyong concludes. KPLN comprises of different Mangyan groups in Mindoro.

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The SOS-Yamang Bayan Network is a national multi-sectoral movement composed of individual advocates, mining-affected communities, national peoples’ alliances, environmental organizations and networks, church based organizations, national NGOs,human rights organizations,sectoral organizations from the indigenous peoples,youth,women,farmers,Congressional representatives, leaders and personalities advocating for the repeal of of Mining Act of 1995 and the enactment of a new minerals management bill.

For inquiries please contact:

Fr. Edu Gariguez – CBCP-NASSA Executive Secretary, 09198005595
Rep. Teddy Baguilat – 09209108253
Gerry Arances – gerry.arances@lrcksk.org; 09228307758
Ka Ponyong Kadlos – 09207116147
Val de Guzman –val_lrcsosyb@yahoo.com
Farah Sevilla – policy@alyansatigilmina.net; 0915-3313361
Edel Garigan – communications@alyansatigilmina.net; 0922-8918972

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