TABUK CITY, KALINGA – The people of this city will be consulted regarding the plan to reopen the Batongbuhay Gold Mines, Inc. (BBGMI) in Balatoc, Pasil, this province, OIC-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Ricardo Dang-iw said recently.
Dangi-iw said that before a company can operate the idle mines, it must have to apply for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and the process includes consultations starting from the barangay to the provincial level.
“All environmental issues and concerns on the direct impact and secondary impact areas will be taken up during the consultations. In the case of the BBGMI, the direct impact area is Balatoc and the secondary impact areas are communities living downstream of the Pasil and Chico rivers,” Dang-iw said.
Dang-iw said that the ECC covers all aspects of the operations of the mines which has something to do with the environment including the company’s environment management plan.
Regarding the specific case of Tabuk City, the issues and concerns will be raised with the proponent proposing the solutions “to make them non-issues,” Dang-iw, a mining engineer, said.
Dang-iw informed that although there is talk going around that Benguet Corporation has won the bid for the mines, there is yet no official information reaching his office on the matter.
Tabuk people are expected to oppose the reopening of the mines due to their past experience when this first operated in the 80s.
They mounted protests actions against the BBGMI when they noticed that the mine tailings silted their ricelands resulting in significant reduction of their harvest.
The mines closed in 1985. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW
Dangi-iw said that before a company can operate the idle mines, it must have to apply for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and the process includes consultations starting from the barangay to the provincial level.
“All environmental issues and concerns on the direct impact and secondary impact areas will be taken up during the consultations. In the case of the BBGMI, the direct impact area is Balatoc and the secondary impact areas are communities living downstream of the Pasil and Chico rivers,” Dang-iw said.
Dang-iw said that the ECC covers all aspects of the operations of the mines which has something to do with the environment including the company’s environment management plan.
Regarding the specific case of Tabuk City, the issues and concerns will be raised with the proponent proposing the solutions “to make them non-issues,” Dang-iw, a mining engineer, said.
Dang-iw informed that although there is talk going around that Benguet Corporation has won the bid for the mines, there is yet no official information reaching his office on the matter.
Tabuk people are expected to oppose the reopening of the mines due to their past experience when this first operated in the 80s.
They mounted protests actions against the BBGMI when they noticed that the mine tailings silted their ricelands resulting in significant reduction of their harvest.
The mines closed in 1985. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW
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