Coral reef ruin linked to Albay town mining

Skin diseases, declining fish catch found by team

Rey M. Nasol, Inquirer Southern Luzon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted: 05/15/2009

Filed Under: Environmental Issues, Mining and quarrying, Health, Natural resources


DARAGA, Albay – A fact-finding mission linked declining fish catch, coral reef destruction, and skin diseases among villagers to continued mining in a coastal town in Albay.

The firm that runs the mines, however, said its operations in Rapu-Rapu town were guided by environment-friendly policies.

The group of 37 environment activists, health professionals, fishermen and Church workers from Manila and Japan held a press conference on Wednesday, at the end of their three-day mission, to make their findings public.

The mission said at the press conference that rapid loss of coral reefs was found in areas near the open pit mining operations –Barangay Carogcog, Tinopan, Viga, and Buenavista.

The group blamed the mining operations for this.

“People are fast losing their livelihood and food sources on the island,” said Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of the group Kalikasan Network for the Environment.

“We believe that the main factor in this environmental degradation and pollution is the continuing massive release of mine wastes to the rivers of Rapu-Rapu and Albay Gulf ,” Bautista said.

Loss of livelihood

Fernando Hicap, chairman of the militant fisherman’s group Pamalakaya, said fishermen in the area also reported a sharp decline in fish catch and attributed this to the mining operations.

Hicap said fish catch declined by 80-90 percent, forcing fishermen to try their lucks in as far as Catanduanes.

The major source of livelihood in the area is catching malasugi, or blue marlin, a type of tuna, in Albay Gulf .

The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP), the firm running the mines, denied being the cause of the fish catch decline or of environmental destruction.

The mining project was formerly owned by Lafayette Phils. Inc., an Australian company that went bankrupt and sold the mines in April 2008 to Korean and Malaysian investors.

Itchy lesions

Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary general of Health Alliance for Democracy, who headed the medical team of the mission, said skin diseases, manifested by itchy lesions, were also prevalent among residents living close to the mines.

Rivera quoted residents as saying the skin diseases started to spread since the start of mining operations in the area.

She said residents also reported an increase in symptoms of respiratory ailments, like coughs and colds.

“The situation is becoming worse every year,” said Antonio Kasitas, head of the group Sagip Isla, Sagip Kapwa and member of the mission.

RRPP, in its website, said it adheres to the highest standards of environmental management, saying systems to protect the environment were being “systematically improved and upgraded.”

Protesters failed to stop the Rapu-Rapu mining project after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave it a go-signal.