Ka Leody seeks end to destructive mining as he campaigns in Eastern Visayas

Press Release
December 6, 2021

MANILA – Ka Leody De Guzman, presidential candidate, headed to Manicani Island in Guiuan, Easter Samar to draw the attention of the nation and 2022 electoral candidates to the effect of large-scale mining that is destroying the environment and sustainable livelihood of communities. According to him, destructive mining should be stopped because it also endangers the lives of citizens like what happened in Manicani, an island hit by Typhoon Yolanda last 2013.

On October 28, 1992, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave permission to Hinatuan Mining Corporation (a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation) to mine the 1,165 hectare land in Manicani island for its nickel ore. Its Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) was suspended in 2002 and expired last October 2017.

Due to the protest of residents there, that even resulted in a camp-out at the DENR national office in Quezon City in 2017, the agreement was no longer renewed. Being discussed today is the rehabilitation of the island, which the community asserts to be the responsibility of the Hinatuan Mining Corporation.

Ka Leody stated: "Nakaramdam na ako ng matinding lungkot noon nang makita ang mga larawan ng malaking hukay na resulta ng pagmimina. Paano nakakatulog ng mahimbing ang mga malalaking negosyante at mga opisyal ng gobyerno na may kagagawan nito? Kailangan silang parusahan sa kanilang krimen laban sa mamamayan ng Manicani. Sila dapat ang gumastos sa rehabilitasyon ng buong isla upang maihon ang nasirang buhay at kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka't mangingisda".

[“I felt an intense sadness when I first saw images of the large open pit that resulted from the mining. How do big businessmen and government officials responsible for this sleep at night? They need to be made accountable for their crime against the people of Manicani. They should be the ones who pay for the cost of rehabilitating the whole island to recover the lost lives and livelihoods of our farmers and fisherfolk.”]

Ka Leody is advancing a “just transition to a green economy” as a solution to destructive extractive industries like mining and logging. The companies destroying the environment should be compelled by the government to employ residents of communities to be rehabilitated. They should be given the knowledge and skills to conserve the ecology of their environments, which is crucial to the return of their livelihoods in farming and fishing.

Ka Leody is running under Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) which has fielded candidates from national to the local level in the 2022 election under the banner of “Kalikasan Muna, Manggagawa Naman.” Their senatorial candidates include labor lawyer Luke Espiritu and environmental activists David D’Angelo and Roy Cabonegro.