Stop open-pit mining, explore alternative energy sources
By J.Lo
“We will stop the open-pit mining…all I’m saying is, if we look at the resources that come from nature, we should put that in sovereign fund so that the income will be for the people,” Presidential candidate and former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales will stop open-pit mining anew and look at alternative sources of energy to help protect the environment.
Gonzales pointed out that there are other ways of mining, through use of better technologies, that could not harm environment.
He then emphasized that while open-pit mining is controversial issue, people should also look at where benefits from activities on the country’s natural resources go.
“We will also put all income from our natural resources in a sovereign fund….this will have mechanism so that we will not use our natural resources for just one generation,” he stressed.
In December 2021, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu overturned his late predecessor, former Environment secretary Gina Lopez’ DAO No. 2017-10 which banned mining method for extraction of copper, gold, silver, and,or complex ores in the country.
Cimatu then explained that lifting the ban on open-pit mining would “revitalize mining industry and usher in significant economic benefits to the country by providing raw materials for construction and development of other industries and by increasing employment opportunities in rural areas where there are mining activities thereby stimulating countryside development.”
The DENR put in place policies that would help protect environment, such as progressive rehabilitation of mined out areas.
Should he win the presidential race, Gonzales also noted that he would not only utilize renewable energy but also explore alternative sources of energy.
“Let’s speed up the elimination of fossil fuels…let’s not take the deadlines too seriously…we will do our best to get out of fossil fuel usage as much as possible,” he added.
Further, in a bid to help protect country’s aquatic resources, Gonzales also said his government would look at single-use plastic as recommended by experts.
“‘Our sea resources are so rich, but plastics are among those destroying them… if we need to go back to our old ways of using bayong, then we will do so,” Gonzales concluded.
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