‘Antimining’ actions worry Australian firms

By Estrella Torres
Reporter
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/01172008/headlines09.html

AUSTRALIAN mining investors are worried by the growing antimining sentiments in the Philippines that cause security concerns in areas of project explorations, Canberra ’s top official in Manila said.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Tony Hely said the mining sector in the Philippines continues to attract Australian investors in the last few years.

He said of the 23 priority mining explorations in the Philippines , seven of them have Australian interests.

“[But] they [referring to Australian investors] are not free from problems because of a number of reasons like mine-site security problems,” said Hely during an interview Tuesday night at the Australian embassy’s annual journalists’ reunion held at the ambassador’s residence in Makati City.

He said mining is now a lucrative sector for foreign investments, noting that in Mindanao alone, the total mining-exploration project reached $2 billion last year.

“There’s an ongoing antimining opposition in the Philippines by environmental and other groups. So it is not easy for foreign investors wanting to have mining investment,” he said.

Hely, meanwhile, said that Australian mining companies strictly follow social and economic and environmental standards in exploration activities.

He explained that antimining sentiments use environmental issues and economic aspects of mining to convince the community to oppose mining-exploration projects in the areas.

“Many civil-society groups influence local people that mining is a form of foreign exploitation, so the investors would regard the community as a security concern,” said Hely.

He said many foreign investors regard the community as the best form of protection for mining exploration.