Bebot to review all mining bills

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo Abellanosa is reviewing all pending and existing legislations concerning the mining industry after President Rodrigo Duterte has called for the repeal of Philippine Mining Act.

Abellanosa, chairman of the House committee on natural resources, said the recent onslaught of tropical storm Ompong to the “disastrous state of Benguet” prompted him to collate and review the legislations concerning the mining industry.

“Chairman Abellanosa has directed the secretariat to work closely with him in studying all appropriate legislative actions. He is also seeking immediate audience with Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to discuss the matter,” reads a statement released by his office.

Duterte said during the post-disaster meeting in Benguet that Congress has to repeal the Philippine Mining Act to put an end to mining industry.

In the philstar.com report, the president was quoted saying that the mining industry has caused the environmental destruction and triggered the deadly landslides in the northern part of the country where 60 people were reportedly dead because of the onslaught of Ompong.

As of yesterday, several rescuers continue to retrieve the bodies of missing miners who were buried at a mining shelter in Benguet at the height of typhoon Ompong last week.

"If we cannot end mining because of the law, to end mining... Congress will have to abrogate the law," Duterte said.

However, Duterte also admitted that the closure of mining companies might affect the economy of the country. Citing the environmental impact of the industry, Abellanosa said he does not want to see another “major tragedy” like what happened in Benguet.

However, he said that he will just wait for the holding of public hearing on the pending legislations about the mining industry in the country.

“I will not preempt the public hearing my committee (on natural resources) will conduct after my consultation meeting with Speaker GMA (Arroyo),” he said.

Abellanosa said there are pending bills seeking to repeal the existing Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which regulates sustainable mining in the country. — FPL (FREEMAN)