Lafayette’s environmental infra withstand 3 typhoons

Lafayette remains in full compliance with the conditions of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a resumption of operations, all its environmental infrastructure having withstood the tests of three consecutive typhoons — "Milenyo," "Reming," and "Seniang."

"Our dams and ponds, the open pit, and other environmental infrastructure (in Rapu-Rapu, Albay) incurred zero damage despite strong winds and rains, with plenty to spare. The environment was fully protected as we had promised early this year that we would be the model of responsible mining here," Carlos Dominguez, Lafayette Philippines chairman and president, said in a statement yesterday.

He said the damage was limited to buildings, electricals, conveyor belts, roads, and the wharf.

"Our environmental systems could not have been subjected to a worse test. And we passed with flying colors," he said.

"That allowed us to shift our people and quickly mobilize them to help in the rescue and recovery efforts in an aftermath of typhoon Reming," he said.

Lafayette deployed an 80-man rescue team and served as the coordinator in the DENR-led efforts in Albay, the worst-hit by Reming.

Dominguez said that before Milenyo, the water level at the company’s environmental dams was 9.2 meters below the rim.

"That freeboard became 8.9 meters after Milenyo dumped 139 millimeters of rain, 7.33 meters after Reming, which dumped 448 mm, and 6.5 meters after 298 mm from Seniang," he said.

In October last year, when the company had two minor incidents, the rainfall only measured 126 mm, almost only one-fourth that of Reming’s.

Dominguez took over the management of the company in January this year, promising full transparency and compliance with government conditions.

The key to Lafayette’s withstanding the typhoons, he said, was simple.

"We followed to the letter the conditions imposed by the DENR and hewed closely to all technical specifications. There were no shortcuts to save on costs," he said.

"We also had a management team and internal systems that were primed to quickly respond to all sorts of emergencies and eventualities," he added.

The company, according to Dominguez, fortified its storm drainage system and cemented its spillway to steer huge volumes of rain to the dams and ponds and prevent soil erosion and siltation.

"If you look at the tremendous amount of water dumped this year compared to last year, not counting the hurricane-strength winds from Reming, we proved true to our word to be a sincere partner of the government and the host community in its growth and in protecting the environment," he said.