Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (September 20,
2018) – As
the death toll of super typhoon Ompong rise in the neighboring Benguet
province, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla was jubilant when DENR Secretary
Roy Cimatu swiftly issued an order to check mining operations in the Cordillera
Administrative Region.
“The
order of DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to stop small-scale mining operations in the
Cordilleras in the wake of a tragedy brought by Typhoon Ompong is a timely
move,” Gov. Carlos Padilla said.
On
Monday, Cimatu told a press conference in Benguet, “I officially ordered cease
and desist of illegal small-scale mining operations in the whole of Cordillera
Administrative Region.”
The
situation of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet is very similar as both provinces have
identified many geo-hazard prone areas due to their mountainous topography.
“Aside
from sharing a common border and similar terrain, we have our share of
Typhoon Ompong casualties in Kayapa, and I am worried that if mining will
continue to endanger our fragile mountains, we would either suffer sudden death
in times of disasters or die from hunger for either loss or contamination of
water,” Padilla said.
“We,
therefore, appeal to Secretary Cimatu to include Nueva Vizcaya in the
coverage of the order to suspend mining activities including the multinationals
operating in Didipio and Runruno,” Padilla added.
In a
related development, a multi-sectoral inter-agency “Water Summit” was
set on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 at the Nueva Vizcaya Convention Center here.
Approximately 500 participants were invited to help craft a “2018 Nueva Vizcaya
Declaration on Water.”
Dr.
William Dar, former agriculture secretary and ICRISAT Director General for 14
years, will give a keynote message during the water summit. ICRISAT stands for
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.
“We
need to act fast and be categorical in our policy, and in this case, the choice
is whether to mine or not,” Padilla said. (By Caryl Mae T. Pillora)
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