MANILA, Philippines -- After its crackdown on irresponsible mining firms, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended the environmental compliance certificates (ECC) of a subsidiary of a listed property developer and another nickel miner in Davao Oriental.
In a press conference Friday, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said the department has suspended the ECC of a planned 58-hectare housing development project of Century Communities Corp., a subsidiary of listed Century Properties Group Inc.
"The ECC is going to be suspended because it was rendered ineffective without clearance from the MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewage System) and for lack of compliance for requirement of a ground water survey," Lopez said.
The project is located in a critical area of the La Mesa Watershed in Quezon City and is meant to be housing for the retired employees of the MWSS.
"I am personally for zero development in any watershed. It’s not an environmental thing to do," she said.
On the other hand, Century Communities said it is prepared to submit its appeal to the DENR on the basis that it has complied with the provisions of its ECC for the project.
"There is no definitive basis to suspend our ECC for the said project. On September 6, a technical conference was held between DENR officers and our company representatives to discuss our responses to the agency’s Notice of Adverse Findings, which required us to show cause why we should not be fined. There was no mention of the possibility of suspension, nor cancellation," the company said in a statement.
Century maintained that the suspension is not warranted since no development works has commenced on the property to date.
"Whatever projects that will be put up has to conform with the management plan of a particular area. We should base it on science that whatever project should not contaminate the reservoir," Environment Undersecretary Marlo Mendoza said.
The company is hopeful that the department would fairly and judiciously exercise its authority throughout the course of the process not only for the project, but also recognize that the property has been afforded the rights to develop a housing project.
"It doesn’t mean that it’s private, you can already do everything that you want. If it affects 12 million people, then that would not be allowed," Lopez said.
It also mentioned that similar projects in Singapore, United States and United Kingdom that were built beside water reservoirs have been proven not to contaminate the water with the use of stringent measures.
"We believe that with the right planning and execution, and the proper guidance from the DENR, there is no reason that the same cannot be achieved for the development," the company added.
Davao Oriental nickel miner suspended
Furthermore, the DENR is suspending the ECC of nickel miner Austral-Asia Link Mining Corp in Davao Oriental after its operations have affected the biodiversity in the area.
"The way the company is doing mining is putting biodiversity at risk. They don’t have a place to put their stockpile, affecting trees and the habitat of the Philippine eagle," she said.
"Their mining sites are sandwiched between two protected areas," Lopez added.
The company has 5,000 hectares mining claim and has only explored 14 hectares and shipped 50,000 metric tons to China this year.
Meanwhile, the decision on the ECC suspension of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. and the Tampakan mine is still on the process and will be announced in the next two weeks.