When is the right time?

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In a recent article by the iNQUIRER, the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is still not moving a finger to close the mining operation because it was a first violation, when will we know when is the right time then?


LEGAZPI CITY—A regional environment official yesterday continued to defend a mining firm that had leaked toxic waste into the waters of Rapu-rapu, Albay, saying it won’t be shut down because it committed only one violation—failure to contain excess effluents that led to the breaching of its tailings pond.

Reynulfo Juan, Mines and Geosciences Bureau regional director, said while his office welcomed calls for the closure of Lafayette Philippines Inc.’s operations in Rapu-rapu, he saw no reason to do so.
read the complete article here.

Comments

the martian said…
i think my guess is right on this one: they won't revoke nor suspend (even temporarily) lafayette's permit to operate in albay. this is the main problem with DENR taking on this so-called "developmental" function of promoting the re-establishment of the mining industry. it can't distinguish now between it's basic mandate of protecting the environment and it's PR role with regards to mining companies.

personally, as a taxpayer, i don't want secretary defensor telling me all these crap about "responsible mining". not even the president's endorsement could wash out all those stains in mining companies' soiled track record in this country. what i expect to hear from the secretary and his agency is a report on what they're doing to mitigate the damage done to the environment by the recent disaster and to ensure that such thing won't happen again in the future.

for instance, for starters, i'm not hearing anything about a fine being imposed because of the accident or whether such penalty is enough to pay for the cost of a clean-up. i wonder if local officials and civil society organizations are planning to file a case against the company and make it pay for the damage it has done to the environment.
2:05 PM
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