By Danny Estacio
BUENAVISTA, Quezon, Philippines -About 500 small gold miners stage a peaceful rally to air their sentiment on closure of mining sites after the Bureau of National Investigation and other government agencies raided on Sept. 4 at the municipal hall, here.
Mayor Rey Rosilla is not around at the time of the rally.
The miner groups belonged to La Suerte and Grande multi-purpose cooperatives.
Many mining sites in this town but only the two mining sites were raided.
The mining operation was declared as Minahang Bayan during the administration of former Quezon Gov. David C.Suarez to be the primary source of livelihood.
Miner’s housewife called an intervention of provincial government.
“Bakit kami lang” the miners asked.
The miners appealed to thoroughly investigate the raid that took place and determine whether the conduct of the operation was proper, just, and in accordance with the law.
They revealed that it is common knowledge that there are other mining operations in this town—allegedly illegal operating outside the designated mining zone.
The miners claimed that the said NBI operation on Thursday, Sept. 3 and arresting 40 miners stripped many mining families of the livelihood that was meant to support them, striving for a simple life” miners claimed.
They stressed also their families who want no part in wrongdoing, but instead choose to live with dignity!
“Families who simply want to feed our children and send them to school”, they said.
December 28, 2015, the proposed expanded Minahang Bayan situated in Brgy. Manlana, Buenavista, Quezon was endorsed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Ramon J.P. Paje thru the Director of Mines and Geosciences Bureau for review pursuant to DENR Administrative Order No. (DAO) 2015-03, the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of R. A. 7076, otherwise known as the “People’s Small Scale Mining Act of 1991”.
Small scale gold miners stage peaceful rally in front of town hall after the NBI-Lucena Office raided the mining sites in Barangay Bulo, Buenavista, Quezon on Sept. 4.
( Danny Estacio)
