House panel OKs bills banning mining, logging in CDO

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on natural resources has approved two bills banning logging and mining operations in Cagayan de Oro City.

Committee chairman Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said House Bill 96 seeks to impose a logging ban in the city while HB 967 seeks to declare the area a mining-free zone.

The two bills had passed third and final reading at the House in previous Congresses, but were not acted upon by the Senate.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said he first filed the measures in the 14th Congress then refiled them in the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th Congresses.

“We will not tire of filing and re-filing these bills because these will save precious lives, property and the environment. A single life or piece of property saved will be more than worth the effort,” he said.

Rodriguez said Typhoon Sendong, which struck in December 2011, left more than 1,400 people dead. He said 900 of the fatalities were from Cagayan de Oro.

“The destructive flooding was blamed on unabated logging and mining operations in the city and neighboring areas,” he said. “We hope that this time, senators will see the omnipresent danger from logging and mining that our people in Cagayan de Oro face every day of their lives. We pray that our good senators will finally act on our bills.”