MacroAsia says NGO charges baseless

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines  – The Lucio Tan-controlled MacroAsia Corp. dismissed yesterday as baseless allegations by non-government organizations (NGOs) against its nickel mining project in Brooke’s Point town that have prevented the firm from starting its operations.

MacroAsia vice president for mining operations Ramon Santos denied accusations of several NGOs led by Environmental Legal Assistance Center and Palawan NGO Network Inc. that their firm had influenced the multi-sectoral Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) into granting its Strategic Environmental Plan Clearance (SEPC) recently.

“That is not true and simply baseless. We were not part of that meeting of PCSD so it was impossible for us to influence them. And that (allegation) is also unfair because it undermines the council’s credibility,” he told a press conference.

Santos also belied claims of the NGOs that their operations do not have the approval of residents in the over 1,000 hectares in three barangays affected by the mining project.

He said public consultations – attended by NGOs themselves – were held under the supervision of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) in compliance with the rules.

Santos assured that MacroAsia has complied with all requirements for their mining operations. He said they have provided several livelihood projects for affected residents, including indigenous peoples in the town, even before their exploration started in 2005.

Charges raised by interest groups against MacroAsia and another firm, Ipilan Nickel Corp., have prevented PCSD, chaired by Palawan Gov. Abraham Mitra, from releasing the SEPC.

But MacroAsia had already secured its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the DENR on Sept. 8 last year. Santos also stressed that the Supreme Court has already affirmed with finality its 2007 decision which upheld the mining firm’s right over Brookes Point.

“The company is committed to rehabilitate not only the areas disturbed by its mining operations but also other marginal lands surrounding the project. MacroAsia understands the value of ecology and environmental protection,” he assured.

Aside from the mining sequence designed to minimize the amount of areas to be open at any given time within the mine life,

Santos said MacroAsia will ensure the completion of the rehabilitation work through the faithful implementation of Environmental Protection and Enhancement Rehabilitation Program.

MacroAsia’s lawyer Danilo Cortina insisted that NGOs opposing MacroAsia’s operations should already stop their malicious campaign against the mining firm considering that they have already aired their objection before the PCSD.

He explained that the NGOs should take their hands off PCSD’s decision to grant MacroAsia its application for SEP: “I don’t think they are in the position to question the findings of the SEP since they have already attended the consultation and the PCSD decided to approve our application.”

Cortina added that tribal communities and Brooke’s Point municipal council have endorsed MacroAsia’s operations in their area.