Faced with growing criticism especially on social media, the provincial board last Monday repealed its controversial ordinance temporarily allowing small scale coal mining in the province of Catanduanes.
In a privilege speech during its regular session at the Legislative Building, Vice Governor Peter Cua himself moved for the recall of Provincial Ordinance No. 025-2023 “since the call against small scale coal mining is louder than the intent of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to help alleviate the sufferings of the people.”
Cua said that he rose to ventilate the side of the august body on the measure that he said became the subject of “unpleasant commentaries” on social media and noisy criticism in the mainstream media.
He stated that the board approved the ordinance in response to the call of the people of Cabuyoan, Panganiban as they have been suffering from the very low price of abaca fiber and the effects of the unpredictable weather that curtailed their normal livelihood.
“(T)he call of the barangay was urgent that it had to be addressed with dispatch,” the vice governor said, pointing out that majority of the 315 barangays are dependent on abaca farming.
He did not address the issue raised by critics regarding the SP’s haste in passing the ordinance, which did not undergo the required public hearing.
“It was a call of duty that pushed hard the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to draft and approve the Ordinance temporarily allowing small scale mining of coal purposely to cushion the impact of hard life brought about by abject poverty and economic hardship of residents,” he stressed.
While recognizing the potential concerns from environmental groups, Cua added, the primary focus of the ordinance was to offer relief to residents facing economic challenges, with a mindful approach to environmental impacts.
The assurance was grounded in the fact that the SP had placed security measures such as the one-year effectivity and strict prohibition on the use of heavy equipment to collect mineral deposits, he pointed out.
Despite the economic benefits that small scale coal mining would bring to the people, Governor Joseph Cua is in consensus with the SP in its plan to recall the ordinance and agreed to vacate the same in its entirety in response to the public clamor.
“Today, December 4, 2023, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will be consigning to the dustbin of history the Ordinance that would have addressed the suffering of majority of 15,000 abaca farmers and their families, not only in Panganiban but also in other towns where safe and responsible, small-scale coal mining could be allowed,” the island’s second highest official declared.
“With all due respect to those against the Ordinance, what they have barely articulated was only the perceived environmental damage mining may cause but without an appropriate evaluation or even a discussion of proposed solutions to the economic quicksand where the people find themselves until now,” he said.
In the past few weeks, Vice Gov. Cua shared, the board has listened to criticisms and read the denunciations on social media in the hope that in the process, critics would come up with appropriate and viable solutions to problems plaguing the people.
“But since the call against small scale coal mining is louder than the intent of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to help alleviate the sufferings of the people, today, in this Regular Session of the SP, we will recall the Ordinance temporarily allowing small scale mining of coal in the Province of Catanduanes,” he said in moving for the recall of the measure.