Church firm on stand against mining

First posted 10:28am (Mla time) Aug 08, 2006
Cebu Daily News
http://news.inq7.net/archive_article/index.php?ver=1&index=1&story_id=14104

Iloilo City — The Roman Catholic Church has reiterated its stand against mining amid reports that 19 towns in Iloilo and three in Guimaras are now targets of several mining applications.
“Kung pasugtan naton ang mina, makalbo ang Iloilo (If we allow mining, Iloilo will go bald),” said Monsignor Meliton Oso of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center.

“Mabutang gid ang kabuhi sang pumuluyo sa peligro (The lives of the residents will be put at risk),” Oso said during a symposium on mining sponsored by the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center held at the St. Joseph's Hall of St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in Jaro district.
Among those who attended the forum were Marinduque Representative Edmundo Reyes, some students, lay ministers, priests and bishops as well as members of religious organizations.

Oso appealed to the Ilonggos to stand up against mining and save the environment after he received reports that three towns in Guimaras and 19 towns in Iloilo had been targets of mining applications. He identified the three Guimaras towns as Jordan, Buenavista and Nueva Valencia.
The affected towns in Iloilo were Ajuy, Carles, Sara, Concepcion, Oton, Sta. Barbara, Pavia, San Dionisio, Barotac Viejo, Anilao, Dingle, San Enrique, Banate, Maasin, Leon, Alimodia, San Joaquin and San Rafael.

Oso said mining operators were only after profits and seldom did they care about the adverse effects to the environment that mining would bring. /Inquirer