Bishops seek Pope’s help on Albay mining

By Rey M. Nasol
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 04/26/2009


LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--Environment advocacy groups here have expressed support to the call for the intervention of Pope Benedict XVI in urging President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to revoke the permit of a foreign company conducting open-pit mining in Rapu-Rapu island in Albay.

The move was made in support also of the worldwide celebration of the Earth Day, the advocates said.

The Pangataman-Bikol (Bicol Centre for Environmental Protection) and the Social Action Centre of this city have started their new campaign in order to dramatize their sentiments against the mining activities in Rapu-Rapu.

In a roundtable discussion over the weekend, the Bicol bishops' anti-mining letter to the Pope was read by Most Rev. Lucilo Quiambao, administrator of Legazpi Diocese.

The letter said: "Your Holiness: We are writing you on a problem that may very well be beyond your immediate and urgent concerns, perhaps even too parochial as to reach your most august office. But our sense of hopelessness, after having tried our best to no effect, to deal with this problem within our means through proper channels, has pushed us to come to you for consolation."

According to engineer Virgilio Perdigon, the external vice-president of Pangataman-Bikol Board of Trustees, they welcome and support the letter to the Pope as it is a way to highlight the environmental degradation being experienced not only by the island of Rapu-Rapu , but also by the whole region.

"It is also good now that the different provinces of Bicol are represented here to know the updates on the destructive mining activities in their respective areas and to formulate a way to stop them," Pedigon said.

The letter further mentioned the "intransigence of the Philippine Government in allowing a multinational company to continue an open-pit mining operation on a small island (Rapu-Rapu in Albay) in the Diocese of Legazpi, within our ecclesiastical province, in spite of our appeals to have it stopped because of its destructive consequences on the island and its surroundings."

It cited the warning of scientists that the mine could have direct and long-term environmental impact on the island through acid rock drainage and toxic discharges.

"Opposition to the project grew all the more after two mining tailings spillage of October 11, 2005 and October 31, 2005, causing massive fish kills in and around the island...All of these, however, Your Holiness, have fallen on deaf ears," the letter added.

The letter was signed by Quiambao; Most Rev. Leonardo Legaspi, Metropolitan Archbishop of Caceres; Most Rev. Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon; Most Rev. Manolo de los Santos, Bishop of Virac; Most Rev. Joel Baylon, Bishop of Masbate; Most Rev. Gilbert Garcera, Bishop of Daet; Most Rev. Jose Rojas Jr., Bishop of Libmanan.