Environmental activist group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) received reports today that tree cutting operations are expected to commence soon at the 10,000-hectare Tampakan mine project area despite the local open-pit mine ban still being in effect.
“We urge public authorities to immediately hold and investigate the imminent cutting of up to 900 trees at the Tampakan mine area. We fear that these ‘eager beavers’ aim to clear so many old-growth trees is part and parcel of the development activities of Sagitarius Mines Inc. (SMI) for their open-pit mine project. Any activity linked to SMI’S mine development should still be prohibited while South Cotabato’s open-pit mine ban is still in place,” said Leon Dulce, national coordinator of Kalikasan PNE.
Local sources relayed to Kalikasan PNE that operations aim to start cutting around 100 trees today and ramp up to more than 900 trees over a 90-hectare area over the following days.
This development comes on the heels of the controversial provincial ordinance passed by the South Cotabato local government attempting to lift the ban on open-pit mines within the provincial environmental code. The ban remains in effect while the regulation remains unreceived by the office of South Cotabato governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.
In a recent pronouncement in front of protesters, Gov. Tamayo said he knew of this imminent tree cutting but claimed his hands were tied because the permit issued was from the national office and out of his jurisdiction.
“Greed is the name of the game as the proponents of the Tampakan mine are aggressively pushing to commence mine development. We can see how they readily seek to destroy our last remaining forests to start digging up entire mountains at Tampakan,” said Dulce.
“We call on the people of South Cotabato to be ready to take constitutionally-guaranteed citizen action against the tree cutting operations of the Tampakan mine. We must prevent the further degradation of our watersheds that provide sustainable livelihood and resilience to disasters,” ended Dulce.#
