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Sarihay in Focus: "What Mining Destroys" by Rita Linda Jimeno

Posted on September 8, 2016

(Fifth in a thirteen-part series on the 2nd Sarihay Media Awards winners)

Rita Linda Jimeno, in "What mining destroys," a commentary published in The Manila Standard last June 1, 2015, lays down the implications of a proposed “dirty” mining site in Lobo, Batangas, part of the Verde Island Passage, the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world.

Jimeno reports on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) efforts at strengthening management of key marine protected areas around the Philippines, and research centers dedicated to coral reefs, and monitoring structures installed in the Verde Island Passage. In the same article, she probes into the effects of an open-pit mining site in the exact same area DENR is protecting:

“Verde Island Passage is considered as the center of the center of the world’s marine biodiversity, hosting dolphins, sea turtles, humphead wrasses, giant groupers, giant clams, and some 300 species of corals—considered one of the biggest concentrations of corals in the whole world…. When approved, gold will be mined by Egerton in coastal barangays of Lobo which have long coastlines and shorelines fronting the Verde Island Passage.”

Why does this concern the life in Lobo, Batangas?

“The proposed mining in Lobo will use the open-pit type (surface contouring), known as dirty mining. Studies have been consistent in saying that modern industrial gold mining destroys landscapes and creates huge amounts of toxic waste. It generates about 20 tons of toxic waste for every 0.333 ounce gold ring. For every gram of gold produced, about two grams of mercury are released into the environment. The waste consists of deadly cyanide, mercury, arsenic and lead. What most people do not realize is that when mercury enters the atmosphere, or reaches rivers, lakes and oceans, it can travel across great distances. Mercury is extremely harmful to human health, the studies say. Verde Island Passage, Southern Luzon, Palawan, Western Mindanao and Southeast Asia will be contaminated with mercury. Moreover, the vapor released by mining activities has been proven to damage the kidneys, liver, brain, heart, lungs, colon, and the immune system of humans and animals,” says Jimeno.

Read the full article here.¹

Published in The Manila Standard last June 1, 2015, this piece bagged the Best Commentary / Editorial Article award in the 2nd Sarihay Media Awards last August 26, 2016.

FPE echoes the need for constant probing into mining’s destructive effects on health of communities, biodiversity, and entire ecosystems. Mining remains to be top priority in FPE's National Environment Agenda (NEA), due to its negative impacts on effective biodiversity conservation and sustainable development (BCSD) efforts. Read FPE's policy brief on mining here.

¹An update on the mining site in question was written by Jimeno last June 2016 here.
 

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The Sarihay Media Awards recognizes the role of the media in promoting awareness and deeper understanding of environmental and sustainable development issues among policymakers, decision makers, and the public. The campaign honors media practitioners who delivered outstanding and responsible reportage of environmental news in the past year. The term "Sarihay" comes from the Filipino phrase, "Samu't Saring Buhay", which aptly describes the “diversity of life,” or biodiversity.

The 3rd Sarihay Media Awards will be open for submissions in early 2017.