Marinduque solon asks Canada to help in mine disaster cleanup

A Lakas congressman who is a member of President Arroyo’s official party in her visit to Canada urged the Canadian government yesterday to help prevent another disaster in his home province of Marinduque.

Rep. Edmund Reyes made the appeal in Ottawa a day before Mrs. Arroyo is scheduled to arrive in Canada.

Reyes said the Canadian government should pressure Canadian mining giant Placer Dome to undertake the cleanup of the 1996 mine tailings spill at the Marinduque Mining Corp., which Placer Dome used to control.

The mining giant has to immediately repair five structures that hold millions of tons of mine wastes that could burst anytime and endanger the lives of 100,000 villagers in low-lying areas, he said.

Dramatizing the danger his constituents face, the young congressman told the Canadian press:

"Imagine that you live in a house with your little children and a contractor puts a huge swimming pool up on your roof. You then suddenly find out that the roof can cave in anytime and the water can drown you and your children. What makes it worse is that the contractor decides to pack up and leave without telling you and refers the repair work to a near penniless contractor with no track record."

Placer Dome has refused to comply with its cleanup commitment given to then President Fidel Ramos shortly after the 1996 disaster, claming it no longer has any involvement with Marinduque Mining Corp.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has asked the mining giant not to back out of its promise.

DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez, who is also part of Mrs. Arroyo’s party, said he supports Reyes’ call for Canada to help compel Placer Dome to undertake necessary cleanup and rehabilitation work.

He told a Manila radio station that he has discussed with his Canadian counterpart the situation in the affected areas in Marinduque.

Reyes’ and his constituents’ problem, however, is not in the official agenda for the President’s visit. – Jess Diaz