Save Zambales, Save the Best Mango of the World from Becoming Nickelodeon.

Komiti para Tugunan ang Kahilingan ng mga Magsasaka na Pagbayarin ang mga Minero sa Perwisyo sa mga Sakahan Binuo

Noong ka-18 ng Marso ang Sangguniang Panlalawigan ay binuo ang Komiti na magdodokumento sa mga naapektuhang sakahan para malaman kung magkano ang sisingilin sa mga minerong may kinalaman sa mga nangyaring perwisyo. Ang komiti na pamumunuan ng senior agriculturist ng DA rehiyon 3 na si G. Arleen Torres ay binigyan ng isang buwan para tapusin ang layunin ng pagkakabuo ng komiti. 

Kasama sa komiti ang ENROZ, provincial DA, tagapangulo ng komiti ng Environment at Natural Resources ng Sangguniang Panlaalwigan, MAO at ang CCOS. 

EMB Kumilos na para Gumanda ang Hangin sa Sta. Cruz

Noong Marso 22 ang Environment Management Bureau ay sumulat at nagbigay ng order sa mga lokal na opisyales ng Sta. Cruz at mga kumpaniya ng pagmimina sa nasabing bayan. Ang sulat at order ay hinggil sa pagtatayo ng tatlong checkpoints sa mga barangay ng Lucapon North, Biay at Poblacion North. Kasama ang CCOS sa mga checkpoints. 

Ang mga checkpoints ay itatayo para siguruhin na ang mga hauling trucks ay: malinis; maayos ang mga takip, hindi overloaded, mayroong nababasang plate number at ito ay nakasulat din sa mga tagiliran; maayos ang ispasyo; at walang biyahe sa mga itatakdang oras na tigil biyahe.   

MOA Signing Hinggil sa Pagbuo ng MMT ay Naganap ngayong Hapon sa Iba

Ngayong hapon ay ginawa ang pirmahan sa pagitan ng Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) at ng LnL Archipelagic Minerals Incorporated (LAMI) hinggil sa paglikha nila ng Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) na siyang tutugaygay sa operasyon ng port ng LAMI sa Bgy. Bolitoc. 

Ang MMT ay binubuo ng EMB, LAMI, LGU representatives at ng Civil Society na kinakatawan ng ating grupo, ang Concerned Citizens of Sta. Cruz (CCOS). Ang MMT ay mayroong tatlong team na may kaniya-kaniyang larangan na babantayan. May team para sa mga toxic wastes, sa pollution sa tubig, hangin at lupa, at recycling ng mga basura. 

Si Ms. Josephine Astadan, ang Sec-Gen ng CCOS ang dumalo sa nasabing okasyon. 

Kaalinsabay ng MOA signing ay ang pagbibigay ng written order ni Director Lormelyn Claudio ng EMB region 3 sa mga concered LGUs at mga mining companies sa Zambales hinggil sa dapat nilang gawin para mailagay sa ayos ang masamang hangin na hinihinga ng mga mamamayan ng Sta. Cruz, maayos ang mga sira-sirang kalsada, maayos ang operasyon ng mga hauling trucks na may pagrespeto sa kagalingan mamamayan, partikular ang paghinga ng hindi maruming hangin atbp. 

Sinabi din ni Drirector Lormelyn Claudio na ang oryentasyon sa mga itatayong checkpoints para masiguro na tumatalima ang mga mining companies sa mga kasunduan ay pwede ng umpisahan sa Lunes pagkatapos ng pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig ng SP sa patisyon ng CCOS. 

Inaasahan ng CCOS na ang sabayang pagkilos ng EMB at ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Zambales sa mga reklamo at petisyon ng CCOS at iba pang nagmamalasakit na mamamayan ng Sta. Cruz tulad ni Jun Ebido, Rev. Obra ng Guisguis at Josephine Ignacio ng Lucapon South ay hahantong sa mas malinis na hangin, maayos na kalsada, malinis na tubig irigasyon, maayos na biyahe, pagtigil ng baha, paghukay ng mga natambakang ilog, batis, sapa, at mga kanal ng irigasyon, pagtigil ng siltation, pagtigil ng pagdami ng nagkakasakit na hika at bronkitis, pagbayad sa napinsalang mga palayan, gulayan, palaisdaan, at pagsagip sa the best na manga sa buong daigdig mula sa pagiging nickelodeon mango.

The Formation of the MMTs of the Mining Companies should be Done ASAP

The multipartite monitoring team (MMT) to check whether mining companies are true to their environmental compliance clearance are not in placed, yet majority of the mining companies are operational for more than six years. 

The LnL Archipelago Minerals Inc., a company that is yet to haul nickel ores from the mountains will be the first one to do so, signing of MOA will be done tomorrow. The Benguet Corps, DMCI, Shangfil and Crau are yet to form their MMTs, yet the first three have been hauling since 2006. Ensuring the establishment of the MMTs is the responsibility of the  Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) for the ports and the mining sites respectively. Without the MMTs and the inaction of the officials of the LGU of Sta. Cruz on the complaints of the people affected by the mining operations, the mining companies are operating with impunity. This will certainly endanger the production of the sweetest mango, the pride of Zambales, the best of the Philippines and the best of the whole world. Soon we will have nickelodeon mango in Zambales, another world's first.  

To check the wanton destruction of the environment, the MMTs have to be formed and function ASAP. 

Another resolution was passed recommending the rehabilitation of the roads of Sta. Cruz and the construction of an alternative route for the haulers of the mining companies to be shouldered by the mining companies. 

The board also requested the regional representative of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Arleen Torres to conduct a thorough investigation on the inundated farms and silted rivers after he presented his report on his earlier investigation conducted last July 2012 in response to the request of the Concerned Citizens of Sta. Cruz. He said that the provincial offices on agriculture could not do any action because the municipal agricultural office under the office of the mayor is not acting on the complaints of the affected farmers. Mr. Torres agreed to finish the investigation in two weeks and submit the report to the provincial board. 

The representative of Benguet Corporation informed the body that last year, the mining companies provided pot money of P610,000.00 to manage the irrigation canals and farmlands affected by mining operations. However, Mr. Ed Morano, one of the complaining farmers said that they were not informed about this much less the conduct of activities to dredge irrigation canals and farms affected by mining operations in their community. 

The session started on time at 10:30AM, but with the passionate discussion of the board on the effects of mining on the peoples of Sta. Cruz and the participation of the complaining citizens and representatives of the mining companies, the session ended at 2PM.

After the session, the petitioning citizens of Sta. Cruz were asked to comment on the statement of the EMB and the board's deliberation on the authority of the mayor on traffic management. They said, "If our mayor is not remiss in his responsibility from the onset of the hauling operations, we are not breathing toxic air and are not afraid on the roads." 

And on their action if indeed the fear of the board members will happen, that is the mayor will sit on the board's recommendation, they chorused, "We will go on the streets."

The Provincial Board of Zambales Looking for Solutions to the Environmental Destruction in the Northernmost Town

In relation to this the provincial board is inviting the barangay captains of the 22 affected communities and the chief executive of Sta. Cruz, the northernmost town to attend the regular session of the board on Monday, March 4, 2013. Sta. Cruz has 25 barangays and a population of at least 50,000. The regional directors of the EMB and the MGB are likewise invited.

The provincial board would like to come up with the urgent solutions to the worsening environmental conditions of Sta. Cruz Zambales caused by the simultaneous extraction of nickel by four mining companies.