A collaborative effort of:

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A collaborative effort of Defend Patrimony Cen
ter for Environmental Concerns-Philippines
Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the Environment
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Mining is important to our daily lives.
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One of the Worlds Richest in Mineral Resources

• 2nd to Indonesia in geological prospectivity in
  SouthEast Asia
  
• 2nd to South Africa in Gold production
• 3rd in copper production
• 3rd in Gold, 4th in Copper deposits
• 5th in Nickel deposits
• 6th in Chromite in nickel deposits

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The Countrys mineral wealth is estimated to be
worth 840 Billion to 1 Trillion!

• 10 times our annual GDP
• 14-17 times Philippine External Debt

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So why are we opposing the governments program
to open up our mineral and natural resources for
development, under its Revitalization of the
Philippine Minerals Industry Program?
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Defend Patrimony summarizes the reasons into
five major points
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Violation of our National Sovereignty
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GMAs program is anchored on the full
liberalization of the industry

• It allows the direct participation of
  foreign-owned corporations in mineral resources
  exploration, development and utilization in the
  country
• This is embodied in the Philippine Mining Act of
  1995
  
• This is the framework of the Mineral Action Plan
  
  

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The present Chief Justice, then a member of the
CONCOM, also referred to this limitation in scope
in proposing an amendment to the 60-40
requirement. . . The Commission had just
approved the Preamble. In the Preamble we clearly
stated that the Filipino people are sovereign and
that one of the objectives for the creation or
establishment of a government is to conserve and
develop the national patrimony. The implication
is that the national patrimony or our natural
resources are exclusively reserved for the
Filipino people. No alien must be allowed to
enjoy, exploit and develop our natural resources.
As a matter of fact, that principle proceeds from
the fact that our natural resources are gifts
from God to the Filipino people and it would be a
breach of that special blessing from God if we
will allow aliens to exploit our natural
resources.
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I voted in favor of the Jamir proposal because
it is not really exploitation that we granted to
the alien corporations but only for them to
render financial or technical assistance. It is
not for them to enjoy our natural resources.
Madam President, our natural resources are
depleting our population is increasing by leaps
and bounds. Fifty years from now, if we will
allow these aliens to exploit our natural
resources, there will be no more natural
resources for the next generations of Filipinos
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And so I appeal to all, for the sake of the
future generations, that if we have to pray in
the Preamble "to preserve and develop the
national patrimony for the sovereign Filipino
people and for the generations to come," we must
at this time decide once and for all that our
natural resources must be reserved only to
Filipino citizens
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Contrary to Governments claims, the
liberalization of the mining industry will not
bring about economic development. It cannot wipe
out our foreign debt
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The Philippines will not gain in any way in
terms of mining investments, exports or revenues.
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No potential of investments

• Mining TNCs usually
• engage in co-financing schemes with the
  government or with local companies
  
• avail of loans from local banks aside from
  multilateral agencies.
  
• make deals with end-users or enter into joint
  ventures with another company and arrange for
  co-financing with multilateral agencies.
  Government even assumes co-financing whenever
  exploration fails
• Get into highly speculative stock exchanges, as
  what some junior mining companies do

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Export Receipts?

• With the legal entry of foreign controlled
  corporations, mining and the export of minerals
  will be as it has always been dominated by
  foreign corporations.
• Full repatriation of profits
• Transfer Pricing
• With relatively cheap cost of raw materials,
  export earning are cancelled by huge cost of
  importation

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Revenues?

• The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 provides
• 6year tax holidays
• 3 year tax holidays for expansion projects
• 10 year exemptions from export tax and other
  fees
  
• exemptions from corporate income taxes

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Wiping out External Debt?

• root of the fiscal crisis is the countrys
  humongous borrowing to finance infrastructure and
  so called development projects such as power and
  mining and finance its bleeding BOT and BOP
• the country borrows to pay for projects that are
  forced upon the people by foreign investors and
  corporations, which are given tax incentives.

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Environmental Cost
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Massive Deforestation
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Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
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Is there such a thing as Responsible Mining?
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Socio-economic Cost to the People
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Reduction of productivity of plantDestruction
of aquatic organisms esp in coral reefs, or
mangrove areasPoisoning of animals, causing
diseases leading to death
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Illness or Death to People
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Selected Acute and Chronic Effects

• ACUTE EFFECTS CHRONIC EFFECTS
• CYANIDE Irritation of mucous membranes Conjunctiva
  l irritation
  
• Dyspnea Skin ulceration
• Headache Thyroid enlargement
• Nausea and vomiting
• LEAD Seizures Pallor
• Headache Seizures
• Dizziness Memory Loss
• Memory deficit Wrist/ foot drop
• Epigastric discomfort, nausea Renal failure
• Miscarriage
• MERCURY Respiratory problems Renal proteinuria
• Personality Changes
• Paresthesia/ Hyposthesia

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Displacement of People from their Land or their
Source of Livelihood

• The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 grants timber
  and water rights to Mining TNCs
  
• The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 also grants
  easement and arbitration rights to Mining TNCs
  
• These cause gross displacement of National
  Minorities from their ancestral lands, their
  culture their life
  

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Human Rights Violations and Militarization
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Absence of clear plans towards National
Industrialization

• Export-oriented/Import Dependent
• Not a fully integrated industry
• No comprehensive plans for the development of the
  Mining Industry

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What can we do?

• Tireless defense of our national patrimony and
  sovereignty against foreign plunder
  
• Junk Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the
  liberalization of the industry.
  
• Support and strengthen peoples struggles in the
  localities against foreign mining corporations
  and their local counterpart
  
• Promote Pro-environment and Pro-people mining
  policy
  
• Nationalize the industry and promote national
  industrialization.

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Salamat po!