Binalbagan mayor opposes mining

BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines  — Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol has expressed his opposition to the ongoing ore mining exploration in the hinterland barangays of his municipality.

"We are really against it. We strongly oppose it, even our barangays," the mayor said during a chance interview at the Capitol recently.

A total of 156 family-settlers from 19 puroks of Brgys. Bia-o, Santol, and Amontay filed a petition, submitted by the Binalbagan Municipal Council to the Negros Occidental Provincial Board, opposing the exploration.

The residents said the mining activities of the Negros Oriental Mining Corp. may adversely affect their rice farming activities and may cause soil erosion, siltation, and turbidity current.

Mine tailings could also contaminate the river, which irrigates the lower part of the farming areas, said the mayor.