COTABATO CITY— An inter-agency, multi-sector coalition has launched an ongoing information campaign in South Cotabato schools on the safe use of mineral and fossil fuel deposits in Region 12.
Radio stations in Central Mindanao reported on Wednesday morning, December 4, that officials of the Mines Geosciences Bureau 12 and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 12 and experts from the Soccsksargen Responsible Miners Association, the Sagittarius Mines Incorporated and Blaan tribal leaders embarked on the project to generate awareness among students on the need for cross-section cooperation in preventing any illegal mining operation in the region.
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The project is also meant to educate the students on the intricacies and benefits to the local communities of legitimate, responsible and environment-friendly mining operations under the joint watch of the MGB, the DENR and cause-oriented groups.
The government agencies and private entities pushing the project forward facilitated a series of dialogues last week with students at the campuses of the Tampakan National High School, the Tablu National High School and the Liberty National High School, all in Tampakan town in South Cotabato.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, chairperson of the Regional Development Council 12, said she is in favor of the information drive and will encourage members of the RDC 12 to help organizers achieve their goals.
A Blaan chieftain, Domingo Collado, who is an appointed Indigenous people’s representative to the Tampakan municipal council, said on Wednesday that they are supporting the information campaign, also aimed at encouraging public support for their anti-illegal mining efforts in tribal domains in South Cotabato and nearby provinces.
“We, the Blaans, support that project, something first ever in South Cotabato,” Collado said.
Collado and Edmund Ugal, a chieftain in the T’boli tribe that has communities in Lake Sebu, in T’boli and other towns in Region 12’s adjoining South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces, separately told reporters that they would help facilitate the upcoming engagements of the inter-agency and multi-sector group disseminating to students the importance of responsible mining.
Vicente Garces, principal of the Liberty National High School in a hinterland barangay in Tampakan, was quoted in radio reports as saying that he and his subordinate teachers appreciate the visit last week to their campus of responsible mining advocates and experts who taught students on the adverse effects of illegal, unregulated mining operations and the benefits of legal and responsible extraction of minerals and fossil fuels in their surroundings.