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Risk mapping T’boli mining site

[Maupiti]

Risk mapping T’boli mining site

Posted on March 02, 2012 06:51:00 PM

KORONADAL -- Work has started in establishing the geographic coordinates of high-risk areas in the gold-rich town of T’boli in South Cotabato, in a bid to make small-scale mining operations there safe. Siegfred M. Flaviano, Provincial Environment and Management Office chief, said on Friday that the provincial government and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau have joined hands in coming up with a geographic coordinate system for the mountains of T’boli. “Tunnels that would fall within the high-risk geographic coordinate will not be allowed to operate,” he said. Mr. Flaviano noted the move was meant to avert tragedies in the small-scale mining site, and is in line with the drive against illegal mining activities in the town. It is also part of the provincial government’s disaster-risk reduction management initiatives in compliance to Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, he said. There were an estimated 300 tunnels operated by small-scale miners in Barangay Kematu, which the provincial government has been trying to regulate to avoid disasters as well as to increase revenues from the industry. The provincial government is expecting to generate P30 million from the small-scale mining industry players in the area this year, Gov. Athur Y. Pingoy Jr. said. The intensified drive against illegal mining activities, he said, increased the province's collection to P9.2 million last year from P6.6 million in 2010. Last year, Mr. Pingoy ordered a crackdown against small-scale tunnel miners and gold processors operating without permits in T’boli town. Mr. Flaviano said the campaign against illegal mining and ball mill operators will be the key to reaching the provincial government's revenue target of P30 million form mining industry in 2012. -- Romer S. Sarmiento
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