Date: Friday, October 14, 2011 at 5:34 PM
LETTER OF APPEAL TO
BARBAZA MAYOR FAITH E. FRANCISCO
CONCERNING MINING IN NORTHWEST PANAY PENINSULA
October 14, 2011
HON. FAITH E. FRANCISCO
Municipal Mayor
Municipality of Barbaza
Province of Antique
Republic of the Philippines
Dear Mayor Francisco,
Greetings!
I am Sofie Hofmann, residing outside the Philippines but still a very active member of Pagtatap Philippines, a group of Pandananons who are dedicated in protecting and improving the lives of our town mates and the environment of our hometown Pandan and its neighboring towns.
I am forwarding to you my open letter, dated October 3, 2011, addressed to Secretary Ramon Jesus P. Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources concerning mining in Northwest Panay Peninsula.
I am one of those concerned citizens who oppose the planned mining operations in Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park, a protected area under the Presidential Proclamation No. 186.
This week, I received disturbing reports that some men with bulldozers were sent by the mining companies on October 11, 2011, and have started clearing the road and other areas for the right of way despite the resistance of the people of the barangay concerned and other residents of Pandan and Libertad in the province of Antique.
With their actions, indeed Environmental Compliance Certificates were issued to the mining companies to extract metallic ore (iron) in San Roque, Libertad, Antique.
Assuming that the mining areas are not within the natural park but knowing the unacceptable environmental impacts of mining like deforestation, alteration of terrain, stripping of vegetation, soil erosion causing floods and landslides, Northwest Panay Peninsula and its declared natural park will definitely be adversely affected and devastated.
The people of the barangay concerned and the other barangays will also definitely be affected as these barangays are on the foot of the mountain ranges of Northwest Panay Peninsula.
We are not just talking about a certain area in the Philippines. We are concerned because Northwest Panay Peninsula is a protected area, has a high rate of endangered species both flora and fauna, and considered as one of the remaining significant stretch of low-elevation rain forest in the Philippines.
What I mentioned are just few of the reasons why we are campaigning against the mine especially within or even adjacent to the protected areas.
Please help us and support our cause. Please help us in reaching out to the other government officials not to support the mine.
I am hoping and praying that you will be able to help us regarding this matter.
Respectfully yours,
(SGD.) Sofie Hofmann
Recommended Links:
GMA7 Reporter’s Notebook: Pilipinas for Sale?, Mining in Surigao del Norte
Lafayette Mining in Rapu Rapu Albay Bicol
Marcopper Mining Disaster in Marinduque due to Mine Tailings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcopper_mining_disaster
Mining in Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay, Bicol & Revisiting Marinduque Mining Disaster
http://saverapurapu.blogspot.com/2008/07/revisiting-marinduque-mining-disaster.html
Copy furnished (Carbon copy recipients):
Leland Francisco
Hope Powell
Sherwin Francisco
Love Catague