By GENALYN KABILING
PRESIDENT Duterte is considering the imposition of a total ban on mining in the country after the 2019 national elections.
The President said he wanted to close down mining operations that destroy the environment, and hoped to get the support of newly elected lawmakers.
Duterte earlier said to end mining, Congress has to abrogate Republic Act 7942 that governs mineral resource exploration and development in the country.
“May batas na nagabigay ng ano na may minahan dito sa Pilipinas. Hindi ako mag ano niyan, Kongreso. Pero pagkatapos ‘tong eleksyon na ito, bago ang mukha naman. I will try na i-ban – i-total ban ko na talaga ang mining,” Duterte said during an assembly of rebel returnees in Samar last Tuesday.
The President said the government was earning R70 billion in revenues from the mining industry but such amount was not enough to reverse the environmental degradation and rehabilitate the affected community.
He lamented that open-pit mining operations have left huge holes in Mindanao and weakened the soil that lead to landslides.
Duterte previously declared his intention to shut down destructive mining operations following the deadly landslides that hit the mining communities in Benguet and Cebu.
“Kayo, galit kayo sa minahan; ako galit rin. Gusto niyong sirahan ang mina? Ako gusto ko ring sirahan. Alam mo bakit? Kung ilan lang ang naibigay nila sa gobyerno? Seventy billion lang. ‘Yan lang. Buong Pilipinas ‘yan lang ang bigay, 70 billion,” Duterte said.
“Tapos ang nasira na lupa pag-repair ko lang sa landslide sa lahat pati patay, abot siguro ng 70 billion times five, sira pa ang kalikasan,” he said.