Philippines Overview

WATER

7000
ISLANDS

MINDORO

MINDANAO
ESTIMATED 15,000 SPECIES OF PLANTS,
50% ARE ENDEMICS
Extent of Forest Cover Loss in the last 100 years

Less than 6% of original forests remains

Source: Environmental Science for Social Change, 1999
Earthquake Potential

RING OF FIRE

MOUNTAINS
+
HIGH RAINFALL
+
LOSS OF FOREST COVER
+
SESIMIC ACTIVITY
+
OPEN CAST MINING
+
INDUCED SESIMIC ACTIVITY

CAN =
DEATH AND DISTRUCTION
 Philippine • Mining Threats to
mineral Biodiversity
reserves:

Gold • 117 important

- Copper biodiversity
- Nickel areas.
- Chromite
- Iron
• 18 are
- Bauxite
threatened by
- Marble
existing mining
- limestone permits*,
3rd in the world
for Gold -1Gm= • 17 by active
3-6 Tons waste
TLAs**, and 2 by
4th in the world
for Copper
both.
5th in the world
for Nickel • 82 are potentially
6th in the world threatened by
for Chromite revitalized mining
industry.
 Midsalip Case –Home Of The Subaanan and
Endangered Philippines Eagles

• 70% of Philipino’s depend upon

Agriculture and Fishing for survival
• The Midsalip farmland is currently well
irrigated on rich volcanic soil with terraced
productive rice fields.
• The proposal is to destroy, the sacred Mt.
Pinukis mountain, through open cast
mining and deposit the mine waste, soil &
(tailings) in the rice fields.
• People have made legal complaint
Midsalip Case – Mining Applications
• Midsalip 70 - 75% of municipality under application for
mining exploration permits by 7companies
• It is a microcosm of what is happening in other areas,
Midsalip Case - Location

The proposed mining sites are the source of tributaries for rivers and
creeks for 3 provinces.
Philex Mining - Libay

• Between Oct 1999 – 2002, mud slides from mine site destroyed rice fields, trees & houses
• Mud reached 200 meters out to sea.
• People were afraid to buy fish
• Mangroves died & coral, fish and shell fish were killed
• Mercury levels monitored were 400 times the norm.
• The mine was closed because of protests but may be opened again.
• Since the mine stopped the mangroves have been replanted and the sea is starting to recover?
 TVI – Mt Canatuan

• US REPORT DATED 6TH DECEMBER 2006 REVEALS WIDESPREAD FAILURE TO KEEP MINES FROM POLLUTING WATER
• 76 % OF MINES EXCEEDED WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
• 93% OF MINES NEAR GROUND WATER HAVE POTENTIAL FOR ACID DRAINAGE OR CONTAMINENT LEACHING
• RECOMMENDS PREVENTION OF CONFLICTS- OF- INTEREST BETWEEN MINERS AND CONSULTANTS
Mt Canatuan - TVI Case

• DESTRUCTION OF FOREST
• AND FARM LAND

• NOTICE DEPTH OF SOIL AND

AMOUNT BEING EXCAVATED
16 SERIOUS TAILINGS DAMS FAILURES IN PHILIPPINES IN
THE PAST 20 YEARS
 CREW MINE MINDORO

The mining site on Mindoro is in the headwaters of Ibulo, Aglubang and Buraboy,
tributary rivers to Mag-asawang Tubig
SUBMARINE TAILINGS DISPOSAL
(OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND)

•
4 million tons of mine waste will be dumped through
submarine tailings disposal annually in Mindoro waters
threatening the marine resources!
 Continuing Risk and Continuing Damage
Tapian Pit of Marcopper

1993 collapse of
Maguila-guila dam
Contaminated Mogpog River

1996 collapse of drainage

tunnel released 1.6 million
cubic meters of toxic mine
tailings in Boac River
SILTATION/SEDIMENTATION

ALL SEA AREAS INCLUDING CORAL REEFS

AND DEEP RIFTS CAN BE DAMAGED BADLY
BY MINE POLLUTION
 Philippines Fish Life
• about 4,000 species in the Indo-Pacific region
• 2,177 recorded species in the Philippines (Herre,1953)
• 1,300 species coral reef and reef-associated species
• 225 deep sea species
• 75 open sea – pelagic species
• 385 estuarine and coastal non-reef associated species
• 170 freshwater species
 Mining consistency with Development Goals?
• The World Bank highlights that its ‘successful DIS
A
development will depend very much on improving • D DVAN
isp TA
environmental and social practices which caused agr lacem GES
substantial problems in the past’. icu en
rrep lture a t of lo
•I
bio arabl nd n
d e fish g term
•A iv e en e ri em
• The lack of adherence to international best practices ccid rsity a vironm es pl o
ym
m e nd e
is blatant in the Philippines and appears to be •R
a ri ne
n t s , floo e n n
dem l da t a e nt
in
worsening isk r eso ds, ism m a
•R of urc dam g e to
edu increa es agi
n g la
Agr ction sed
/ nd
•D i c ultu s in lo in duc a nd
e s r e an d g te n e d
AD com tabiliz rm seis
VA a T o u s mic
•S NTA • mu tion rism usta act
h or GE Mili n ities o I n ina ivity
t te S t ariz f ind d u ble
•I
nc rme • Unp at i ge n s t r
• P rease mp rov ion an o u s ie s
de lo e x po e n m dh
o
• B tential xpo yment a rt le a c um
a
r n r
ene t ax t s an d •
d hig d , re p o eco n righ
fits rev e FD Po t h ince atria nom ts a
for n u I e n n t i o i c bus
min e Dut tial t i v e n o ben es
ing ch dist s f pr efit
com • Des d isea rtio o o fits, s –
pa n t a s e no lo w
ies hea b i f ex c
lth lizatio han tax
es
•I
ncr ri sks n of c ge
• R ea s e , d om r ate
ed u d C amage mun s–
min ction o r ru t o liv i t ie s
ers in n ption elih , conf
o od li
um
be r s cts,
of s
ma
ll sc
a le
Recommendations:

All PARTIES

1. Adhere to the recommendations of the Extractive Industries Report 2004

GOVERNMENT
1 Give priority in all planning to protecting the rights to livelihood and subsistence of the
poor and marginal and develop in a sustainable manner.

2 With Draw all Mining Applications In Critical Watercatchments, Important Agriculture or

Marine Eco Systems or Areas of Conflict --- No Riverine And Marine Tailings Disposal

2 Protect Natural Resources for Future Generations - Population 150 Million 2030
ADOPT a STRATEGIC APPROACH INCLUDING (SEAs) for ISLANDS where mining is
proposed

3 Revoke Mining Act- Mining Sector Review- Enforce National Laws & International Standards

4 Stop Extrajudical Killings

5 Halt erosion of IPRA and protections afforded to indigenous peoples such as FPIC.

6 DENR- Remove Conflict of Interest between Licensing and Enforcement- Let other Ministries
Enforce Laws - EPA- Health
Recommendations:

WORLD BANK AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

1. The World Bank Group- Finance a Mining Sector Review and SEAs – Mandate- MDGs
Adhere to the EIR recommendations and strictly adhere to the IFC safeguards and other
internal Bank safeguards and procedures

2. Investors don’t Invest In Mining until Laws are Respected and Controls are In Place

• Get Independent Inspection Before Investment.

• Ensure Compliance - National Laws and International Mining Standards

MINING COMPANIES

3. Withdraw all Mining Plans which will severely damage the Environment or Human Rights
(Crew Withdraw from Mindoro) All Miners Withdraw from Midsalip Etc.

2 RESPECT ALL LAWS & International obligations and FOLLOW INTERNATIONAL

STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICE including re corruption and in the avoidance of
association with paramilitaries and HR abuses

NGOs & GOVERNMENTS

3 Support expansion of independent monitoring of mining

4 To improve access to justice for all including if necessary up to the level of international
arenas
 Human Rights: Context
• Extrajudicial Killings: since 2001 estimated at over 800
– At least 11 of these associated with mining.

• Corruption: Transparency International described the

Philippines in 2004 as suffering from ‘rampant corruption’.
– According to a 2005 EC report on the Philippines corruption
has been ‘traditionally notorious’ w.r.t. mining concessions

• Indigenous peoples: Over 10 million in the Philippines

– Mostly living in the uplands due to generations of settlers
and logging activities encroaching on their lands
– Overlap with areas where mineral deposits are located
• 16 of 24 Priority Mining projects are on indigenous lands
– Mining poses a threat to their survival as peoples
 Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA) &
Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC)

• IPRA enacted in 1997

Free from Manipulation
• It recognizes Indigenous
Peoples right to Self-
Determination and their
Free
rights to Native Title Consent or Prior to
Rejection Prior operations
based on Informed
• It requires that no mining consensus of
Consent
all
permits can be issued
without the FPIC of
Adequately
indigenous peoples Informed
impacted
 Systematic undermining of IPRA and the
FPIC process: Midsalip & Mindoro

• Repeated attempts to engineer

consent. Tactics include:
– Misrepresentation,
– Bribery,
– Misinformation
• Erosion of IPRA’s protections
including FPIC.
• Indigenous peoples fear for
their livelihoods, food security
and their very existence.
Mt Pinukus - range of mountains
Held sacred by the Subaanen People
 Example of Effects - Mt Canatuan
• Mt Canatuan - ancestral domain of Subanon people and their
sacred mountain
– Dubious acquisition of land and mineral rights without
consent
• Created divisions within community and undermined the
Subanon traditional structures and practices posing threat to
their cultural survival.
– Desecrated their sacred mountain.
– Evicted people from their homes - 40 Families directly
affected.
– Damaged livelihoods and caused health impacts.
 Mt Canatuan - History of Human Rights
Violations
• Violence and intimidation by security forces resulting in an
atmosphere of fear

• 169 heavily armed guards financed by TVI

– Concerns raised by investigations
• Philippines Human Rights Committee, Canadian Parliamentary
Committee, Philippines Congress.
– Complaints made by Subanon at the UN
– UN Special Rapporteur on the
Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples
• ‘Militarization of
indigenous areas is a
grave human rights
problem’
 Recommendations

• The following are a subset of the recommendations

pertaining to indigenous peoples

Survival of and respect

for Indigenous Peoples

GOP* & Companies World Bank

1) Halt Extra-judicial Adhere to EIR findings
killings, 2) Eliminate and ensure strict
use of paramilitaries adherence to IFC
3) Tackle corruption EU guidelines
GOP NGOs and Govt’s Use good
1) Halt the erosion 1) Ensure the offices to
of IPRA and FPIC. provision of encourage
2) Support independent advice dialogue &
traditional 2) Establish a adherence to
Indigenous credible legal
structures independent protections
monitoring body
3) Ensure access to
*GOP: Government of the Philippines justice