PCCI backs Tampakan project

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) supports the Tampakan copper-gold project and, according to PCCI president Miguel Varela, the business chamber will make representations with Malacañang regarding the project.

According to Varela, the Tampakan project is “an investment the government must not ignore”.

Varela said the PCCI would seek an audience with Malacañang to express their support for the Tampakan project.

“The parties supporting the Tampakan project are doing the correct process and we will do our part by talking to the National Government,” Varela said.

Swiss mining firm Xstrata and Australian Indophil, through local subsidiary Sagitarrius Mine Inc., are proponents of the $5.9-billion Tampakan copper-gold project.

Varela recently visited General Santos City where he met with local business groups in South Cotabato and with Tampakan Mayor Leonardo Escobillo to discuss issues hounding what is seen as the biggest single foreign investment in the country.

Varela assured the local business groups that “we will make our own representation because we believe all the safeguards are in place for this project.”

Varela said he understands the concerns of the provincial government, but the PCCI head said studies show that the Tampakan project “will be able to respond to any possible impact of the open-pit mining method”.

Varela also noted that the proponents of the Tampakan project have “consulted the community and that this project will benefit not only the host municipality but the entire country”.

Varela said that “we were presented with the environmental and safety plans for the Tampakan project and this project is actually doable.”

According to Varela, they are also willing to dialogue with the South Cotabato provincial officials. South Cotabato governor Arthur Pingoy has said he is willing to dialogue with any group to finally resolve the Tampakan issue.

Pingoy has repeatedly said that he is not against the Tampakan project, but must resolve an environmental code “he is bound to implement” through intervention from either the courts or the national government.