Philippine Government's Department of Environment and Natural Resources To Act On Destructive Miningby Carlos Montemayor | 29-10-2017 01:58 |
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Mining in the Philippines has always been a big problem to the local economy, the local industries, and the locals themselves as well. Large mining corporations exploit the lands in different parts of the country for raw materials such as minerals and precious stones, and then export these to other countries for processing. The final products are then imported back into the country at a larger cost, and this whole practice comes at a disadvantage to the local economy. Aside from this, the mining practices in the Philippines are not environment-friendly. You have large mining operations that destroy the land by causing soil erosion and other unwanted and destructive effects to the environment, and those that are responsible for these actions get away with it. The national government's decision to increase regulations and restrictions on these corporations lets locals breathe easier. DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said: "?Mining in the Philippines can only be responsible if the development of the country?s mineral resources will be on the basis of technical feasibility, environmental sustainability, cultural and social acceptability, and financial viability. The absence of one will not render a mining project as responsible,? His agency wants to change the way that mining is done in the country, where large corporations are allowed to exploit the land and resources and mine irresponsibly, without compensating nature for their actions, which eventually destroys the local environment, ecosystem, and economy. While some may argue that heavier government restrictions on these mining operations will negatively effect the Philippine economy, the fact that the current state is hardly doing good for the Philippine economy should be considered as well. Because the imports are costlier than what the exports give back in profit to the economy, positive effects are very rarely felt by the national economy. For the benefit of the environment as well as the locals, it is great that the national government is taking steps to promote responsible mining that will not destroy the environment, promote effective economic growth, and be overall positive and sustainable for the country in the long run. Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/917785/cimatu-on-duterte-sona-denr-to-act-vs-destructive-mining |
