25 June 2010

P-Noy's retention of Arroyo's DENR honcho dismays environmental groups

Environmental activists and groups expressed alarm on the announcement of President-elect Noynoy Aquino that current Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Horacio Ramos will be retained at the post for one year.

"President Noynoy Aquino's first year in Malacanang is very critical. He is expected to implement fundamental environmental reforms and bring about a government different and opposed to the previous Arroyo administration as he promised. However, his move to retain a known pro-corporate mining DENR Secretary is a clear warning that his environmental policy will just be a continuation of the previous administration," said Clemente Bautista Jr, national coordinator of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment.

DENR Secretary Horacio Ramos assumed his post last February 2010. He was Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MBG) Director for 13 years since 1996, the year when one of the worst global mining disasters occurred in the province of Marinduque - the Marcopper-Placer Dome mine spill. Until now, no one was held accountable for the said disaster and comprehensive rehabilitation has not been done in the province.

"Under Ramos' directorship, the MGB played a significant role in formulating and implementing the current Revitalization Program for the Philippine Mining Industry in accordance to the mining liberalization policy of Gloria Arroyo. Mr. Ramos has taken vigorous steps in enticing foreign and private companies to invest and mine in the country yet massively failed in protecting our resources and upholding the rights of our communities," Bautista said.

According to the groups, Sec. Ramos' bias to mining firms and negligence to local people has been demonstrated in one of Arroyo's disastrous flagship mining projects, the Rapu-rapu Polymetallic Mining Project. In spite of several mine spills, strong community opposition, project bankruptcy and contrary to the recommendation of government-formed commission's own to shut down the project, Sec. Ramos allowed the project to continue.

"Retaining this kind of DENR Secretary is contrary to President Noynoy's campaign promise that his DENR Secretary would be an individual that is unswervingly clear in the positions and principles of conservation, ecological balance and sustainable development, " said Frances Quimpo of Center for Environmental Concerns, an environmental research NGO.

The groups also cited the promise made by Aquino during his campaign that he will conduct a full review of all mining operations and exploration permits in the country, and will require ‘honest-to-goodness' environmental impact studies. Aquino also said failed mining projects in the past and large-scale disasters will have to be revisited so that there may be proper rehabilitation and compensation for individuals and communities victimized by these mining disasters.

"There are many deserving men and women inside and outside the DENR who are truly competent and has a proven pro-environment and pro-people track record that President Aquino can readily appoint. We are thus confounded as to why will Aquino retain a pro-mining corporate bureaucrat responsible for Marinduque, Rapurapu and Diwalwal mining projects, all of which Aquino himself identified as failures? Why will Aquino appoint Sec. Ramos who at his helm approved multimillion dollar midnight mining deals less than two months before Arroyo's term ends," Ms. Quimpo retorted.

"It would seem that Sec. Ramos retention in the DENR is more of a political payback to the supporters of Aquino who have big interests in the mining industry. President Aquino could prove us wrong if he will immediately materialize his promise to review all mining projects, at the same time declare a moratorium on large-scale mining approval and replace DENR Horacio Ramos," Ms. Quimpo challenged.

"Otherwise, Aquino would have committed a great disservice to environmental advocates, indigenous people, sectoral groups and local communities who for the longest time have been defending the country's lands from plunder and exploitation by private and foreign corporations and to the Filipino people who have long clamored for genuine national progress, healthy environment and good governance," ended Quimpo.