DIOCESE OF VIRAC
CHANCERY OFFICE
Virac, 4800 Catanduanes, Philippines
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN NG CATANDUANES
November 21, 2023
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Catanduanes Legislative Building Provincial Capitol Virac, Catanduanes
THRU: Hon. Peter Cua Vice Governor/Presiding Officer
Dear Honorable Gentlemen:
Greetings.
What is happening to our common home?
On March 21, 2018 the Senate and House of Representatives passed Republic Act. 11038 “AN ACT DECLARING PROTECTED AREAS AND PROVIDING FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT No. 7586, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘NATIONAL INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREAS SYSTEM (NIPAS) ACT OF 1992’ AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.” This Act is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1444 and House Bill NO. 6772 and is now known and referred to as the “Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018”. Upon approval by the President of the Philippines on June 22, 2018, we all exclaimed amidst the natural calamities coming our way. “LAUDATO SI, mi Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. Like Saint Francis in his beautiful canticle, we all wholeheartedly accepted “that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us” (Laudato Si, 51 #1).
However, the prayer of “Laudato si, mi Signore” has been replaced with sadness and cries. The “sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use, misuse and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will” (Laudato si, #2).
Just this October 12, 2023, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Catanduanes enacted Provincial Ordinance No. 025-2023 “temporarily suspending implementation of Provincial Ordinance No. 006-2013″ an ordinance declaring the Province of Catanduanes a mining free zone”. Such Provincial Ordinance #025-2023 allows small scale mining of coal only from October 12, 2023 to October 13, 2024.
What is happening to our common home? Have we forgotten that it is the duty of the state to intervene when the common good so dictates. There is never and will never have any good proof that mining is for the common good even to small, medium, and large scales. We have a reality upon reality where it has caused big time if not lifetime suffering. To allow the possibility of more suffering is not morally accepted.
Will the temporary suspension respond to the economic needs of Barangay Cabuyoan, Panganiban? Is it really the cry of the residents of one barangay and/or of the entire Catandunganon? Is that the only economic alternative to respond to the cry of the poor and economically dislocated workers and individuals? Are we sure that it will not be a precedence for something that is big? Or will we again cry-out “How long is temporary”? Take note, whatever is fragile like the environment is defenseless before the interest of deified market.
In view thereof, We, the Clergy and Religious of the Diocese of Virac, again reiterate our opposition and stand that mining must not be conducted in Catanduanes in any form because:
- Catanduanes is an island province with fragile eco-system;
- We believe that mining activities will not be socially and economically beneficial in short, long or any term;
- Present practices by mining companies have been proven to adversely affect the cultural, environmental, social, political and moral lives of any place;
- As stewards of God’s creation, it is our collective duty to ensure Earth’s well-being for the needs of future generations and not just today or temporary;
- The ecological crisis is evident to everyone. We are now witnessing widespread manifestations of the earth’s critical condition manifested in rising sea levels, stronger typhoons, intense drought, and heavy rains which caused floodings, landslides. Catanduanes is not exempt from it; and
- Whatever gains the Province will get will never commensurate the destructions they will cause. For the damages will be irreparable and irreversible. Instead, “we will get the dose of our medicine.”
Again, we ask, what is happening to our common home? We have been known globally as a “Happy Island”. Despite the many typhoons we experience, we remain resilient. People coming to our province even after strong typhoons eloquently enunciate “indeed a ‘Happy Island’. Can we really be authentically and truly “happy” with these realities in our environment?
With this so-called “small scale mining of coal only”?
Let us reflect upon these questions which are troubling us today. Our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosity, but rather to become painfully aware, to dare, to turn what is happening to our island province and into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.
All is not lost. human beings while capable of the worst are also capable of rising above themselves. Choosing again what is good and making a new start.
Let us sing as we go, may our struggle and concern for this island-province, this “Happy Island,” never take away the joy of our hope. Again let us exclaim “Pag-omaw saimo O saumyang Dios”.
In nomine Domini,
MANOLO A. DE LOS SANTOS
Bishop of Virac
NOTA BENE:
- Republic Act No. 11038 establishes all towns of Catanduanes, except Bato, as protected areas within the classification of natural park pursuant to the Philippine Constitution (ef. Sec. 5.a.1.).
- It prohibits ….undertaking mineral exploration or extraction within the protected area (of. Sec. 20, (p))..
- Violations under this Acts shall be subject to the following penalties:… (c) A fine of not less than One Million pesos (P1,000,000) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000) or imprisonment from six (6) years but not more than twelve (12) years, or both, shall be imposed upon any person who violates paragraphs (o) to (v) of Section 20 herein (of. Sec. 21. (c).
- “Any person who shall induce another or conspire to commit any of the acts prohibited in this Act, or force their workers to commit any of the same, shall be liable as principal (ef. Sec. 21. (e).
- “The conviction of a public officer or officer of the law whether from the LGU or any national government agency for any violation of the provisions of this Act shall carry the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office.”