Bill bans mining in Marinduque

MANILA, Philippines - Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes has filed a bill that seeks to ban mining in her province.

House Bill 5566 would ban any mining-related activity, including exploration, development and processing and large-scale quarry operations for cement raw materials, marble, granite, sand and gravel.

The measure seeks to protect the province, which is still enduring the consequences of the Marcopper mining catastrophe in 1996, Reyes said.

She said the Marcopper mining disaster devastated Marinduque with the leakage of 23 million tons of mine tailings and toxic waste into the 26-kilometer Boac River, displacing 4,400 residents from five villages.

“The Marcopper tragedy is known to be one of the largest and worst mining catastrophes in the world. This tragedy resulted in the destruction of homes, displacement of families residing near the river and contamination of agricultural lands and livestock,” she said.

She said the instability of the remaining structures at the Marcopper site continues to pose safety threats to residents of the province.

“Should a strong typhoon hit the province, the damage would be unquantifiable. The adverse effects will not only affect Marinduque but the surrounding areas as well, such as the adjacent Verde Island passage, which the United Nations declared as a marine biodiversity sanctuary,” Reyes said.