Davao church gives nod to comprehensive Christian mining

MANILA, Philippines - The Davao City archdiocese is giving its nod to what it called "comprehensive Christian mining," but said this should not sacrifice the environment and welfare of the people. Davao City Archdiocesan Indigenous Apostolate director Fr. Florencio Acedo Jr. said the Church also accepts the positive contribution of mining in the nation's development. "We can advance development without destructing our environment. We can promote development without making our people suffer," said Acedo in a statement Sunday. He said comprehensive Christian mining values call for environmental stewardship, saying man does not own the wealth of the Earth. Acedo added that by employing comprehensive Christian mining, miners should first consider the safety of the people and the protection of environment. "It is not about indiscriminate mining. It is more of responsible mining. Proper waste disposal must always be on top. We must not ruin the environment because we also consider the situation underlying mining," he said. Records kept by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) revealed the Philippines to be among the worst countries with regard to tailings dam failures whereby the surface impoundments containing the toxic waste from the mining process failed with disastrous consequences for the local people and the environment. "Let us not wait for Mother Earth to exact her vengeance to us because we have caused so much damage to the environment," Acedo said. UNEP reported that since 1992, the Philippines has been pursuing an aggressive policy to revitalize the mining industry, potentially opening 30 percent of the country's land area to mining. Billions of dollars in investments have been promised and a total of 2,000 mining permit applications are pending. Acedo appealed to large-scale miners to remember the "interconnectedness of the human person and the environment." He also called on the government to stop allowing foreign groups to explore and exploit the wealth of the nation saying, "these foreigners have no sense of stewardship and they cared less about destructions in our environment." "It is an open knowledge that the government has conducted mining road shows across the globe. The battle in the local level is very evident. The detrimental economic, environmental and social impact is widespread," he said. Acedo also discouraged allowing mining in indigenous peoples' areas because there are still places in the country where there are no inhabitants and are good targets for mining. "The reform of the mining application process has resulted to relaxing of environmental laws combined with attempts to undermine the legal protections afforded to indigenous peoples," said Acedo. - GMANews.TV