Aussie firm faces rough sailing on mining permit

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — The bid of an Australian-owned mining company to seek a reconsideration of its mining activities here, which have met mounting opposition from the local Catholic Church, faces rough sailing.

This, as Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Heherson Alvarez vowed to block the bid of Climax Arimco Mining Corp. "if we see any violation, or even a hint of a threat."

Alvarez made the statement during a recent visit here in the wake of protests by environmental groups led by the Bayombong diocese over the continuing presence of Climax Arimco in remote villages of Kasibu town here.

Alvarez said he would order Arimco’s ejection if its continuing presence poses a threat to the environment.

Alfredo Pascual, the DENR’s regional executive director, however, said the mining firm still has the right to appeal to the President.

"Even if the community and the DENR are against a certain mining operation, if the mining company files an appeal on the rejection of its application and the President approves it, nothing can be done to prevent it," he said.

Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena, in an effort to block the firm’s motion for reconsideration, earlier sent a letter to President Arroyo warning her of the possible consequences against her administration if she would grant the mining firm’s re-application.

Villena said the Climax Arimco project in surrounding villages of Didipio in mountainous Kasibu town would cause undue damage to the environment and affect the Addalam watershed area, a major source of irrigation for hundreds of hectares of ricefields in Quirino and northern Isabela.

Villena, co-chairman of the influential Bishops-Businessmen Conference, singled out Climax Arimco for its continuing stay in Didipio despite growing resistance from the villagers and its outright rejection by the Regional Development Council (RDC) led by Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Rodolfo Agbayani.

The RDC said mining here does not conform to the region’s Physical Framework Plan. "The proposed mining operation is located in the very heart of the Sierra Madre watershed which is the primary source of water flowing to the Magat Dam," the council said.

Kasibu town, especially the Malabing Valley area where the Didipio village is located, is a major source of citrus fruits like the famed Vizcaya oranges, and vegetables.

Didipio is located in the boundary of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya and Nagtipunan, Quirino where Arimco is exploring copper and gold deposits in an area of at least 30,000 hectares.

The inhabitants there, mostly Ifugaos, Kalanguyas, Ibalois and Bugkalots, fear that their farms face the threat of inundation due to the mining activities.