More than 6,000 sign petition against Tampakan mining

Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D.

Please click below to link the online petition:

change.org/tampakan.

COTABATO CITY (30 July 2013) - A few weeks ago, Bishop Broderick Pabillo decided to initiate an online petition on Change.org to persuade President Noynoy Aquino to cancel the permits given to Sagittarius Mining Inc. (SMI) for the mining project in Tampakan, South Cotabato. Netizens did not fail him as his petition breached the 6,000-signatures mark today.

“We are elated. This proves that a great portion of the online community understands the dangers of mining especially the one in Tampakan. Malacañang should stop the Tampakan mining project or at least, answer our arguments against it,” Bp. Pabillo, who is the Auxiliary Bishop of Manila said.

Pabillo explained that the Social Action Center (SAC) of Marbel through the help of the Dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos have already gathered 170,000 signatures from the areas surrounding the site. He furthered, “As you can see, the project is very unpopular in its very vicinity. The Change.org petition is an inclusive attempt to broaden the opposition against SMI and compliment the efforts of our local allies.”

“I am pretty sure,” Pabillo continued, “that this online initiative will further strengthen the resolve of the people around Tampakan to fight destructive mining. To encourage them more, we are also planning to furnish them copies of the very supportive comments of those who signed the petition at Change.org.”

A certain Georie Pitong of Iloilo commented, “Ang mga malalaking kompanya ng pagmimina ay pinakikinabangan at sinisira ang ating mga likasyaman. Mayaman ang Pilipinas, pero mahihirap at lalong humihirap si Juan at Juana de la Cruz.”

Another comment from Alexander Singcol of Iligan City said, “I don't think we are ready to face another Sendong and Pablo that will destroy us because we cut all our trees.” According to news reports, the project will clear about 4,000 hectares of forests and arable lands.

Leody de Guzman, a labor leader based in Manila, opined, “We need to protect our environment for the next generation. Our natural resources is not for the few but for the people.” While well-known lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles said, LGUs should have a voice in their own jurisdiction regarding the banning of mining operations issued by the South Cotabato Provincial Board.

The petition was also able to get support from some foreigners. “This open cast mining scheme is for corporate greed and not economic need. The Philippine Nation will receive a pittance compared to what SMI and Xstrata will make from selling the gold and copper to the commodities market,” Paul Snazell from Halstead, United Kingdom said

Pabillo is also the Chairperson of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). The petition can be viewed online at change.org/tampakan.

Bishop Pabillo pointed out TOP 5 REASONS why we should support and sign the petition:

#1. Five thousand B'laans will be driven from their ancestral homeland and will be at risk of losing their identity.

 

(Photo by Mark Navales)

  

#2. Almost 4,000 hectares of lush rainforest will be cleared and dug. Just how big is that? Imagine the entire City of Manila as one big hole.

#3. With that said, up to 800,000 trees will be cut - putting hundreds of towns at higher risk of flash flood and landslides.

(Photo by The Cambodia Herald, 5 January 2012)

#4. About 1 million people living in Davao Del Sur, South and North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City will lose their water supply.

(Photo by Reuters, 14 April 2013)

  

#5. And lastly, sign for Vicky. This little child survived but lost her mother and two brothers in a massacre. It was an attempt to silence her father who spoke out against the mining project.

(Photo by Diocese of Marbel)

Please click below to link the online petition:

change.org/tampakan.