No mining will be allowed in Davao City: vice mayor

Sunday, June 19, 2011

DAVAO City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his stand against mining amid loose talks that his

having conceded to the construction of a coal-fired power plant also meant he has mellowed down on his stand against mining operations in the city.

Duterte said such mining will only destroy the environment as it is extractive.

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"No! Dili ko sa mining. Ang mining dili man lang na usa ka buslot-buslot sa bukid, tanawa ninyo didto (I am against mining because this does not just involve boring holes in the mountains. Just look at what has happened in mining areas)," Duterte said.

He added that in his visit to Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley, what struck him most was the color of the river water.

He added that aside from the siltation mining causes, chemicals are also poured into these rivers, which can enter the food chain.

The better option would be to plant fruit trees and edible plants in idle lands.

"We should use the available space of lands for food. Adto na hinuon ihatag sa miners operated by foreigners unya ang Pinoy igo ra hatagan ug sweldo human ang richer lands adto sa pocket sa rich foreigners (Instead, these lands are given to foreign companies with the Filipinos having to contend with wages while the foreigners get rich)," Duterte said.

Duterte also said the most important is the next generation would have a life worth living.

"Dapat ato na (Those mountains should remain ours). We should preserve it for the next generation," Duterte said.

He said his being amenable to the coal-fired power plant has nothing to do with mining.

He said he approved of the power plant because the city needs additional source of energy, and nothing else.

"Let me be very clear on my stand, I don't want mining on the city. Kanang objection nila nga gamiton sa mining ang coal, wala na. Niboto ko tungod (their contention that this power plant will be used to fire up mining operations has no basis. I voted because) we need the power plants that can serve millions of people in Mindanao," he added.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on June 20, 2011.

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