Philippines 'not fit' for open-pit mining: Gina Lopez

ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img src='http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/09/19/20180919_itogon.jpg' ><figcaption>Scores of residents leave Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet on September 16, 2018 after a massive landslide buried several houses at the heigh of typhoon Ompong's onslaught.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – Deadly landslides are a reminder that the Philippines is unfit for open-pit mining, former environment secretary Gina Lopez said Wednesday.</p><p>Dozens of people were killed after Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) <a href='http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/16/18/death-toll-in-itogon-landslides-rises-to-43'><strong>triggered a landslide</strong></a> that buried mining bunk houses in the mountain town of Itogon, Benguet.</p><p>"For me the biggest message here is that we are really not fit for mining because look at what happened when the typhoon hits, there’s a landslide sinong nagdudusa? Yung taong doon nakatira," Lopez told DZMM.</p><p>"So to have open pit mining in a country like this is crazy. That’s why whenever there’s mining, the people suffer because we are in a geohazard zone,” she said.</p><p>The <a href='http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/17/18/chamber-of-mines-asks-govt-to-intensify-crackdown-on-illegal-small-scale-mining'><strong>Chamber of Mines of the Philippines</strong></a> on Monday urged the government to intensify its crackdown against illegal small-scale miners.</p><p>Lopez said the government should focus on large-scale miners because they "cause large scale problems."<br/> <br/>Mine workers should be given alternative jobs that are related to the environment preservation, she said. Itogon can be developed into a tourism hub, she said.</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/17/18/benguet-corp-small-scale-miners-in-itogon-ignored-warnings'>Benguet Corp: Small scale miners in Itogon ignored warnings</a></li></ul><figure class='op-interactive'><div id='IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container'> <ivs-player id='IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1' data-ivs-spid='3001339' data-ivs-key='e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603' data-ivs-vid='1423970' data-ivs-floating='1' ></ivs-player> <script src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js'></script> <script src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js'></script> </div></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>"So to have open pit mining in a country like this is crazy. That’s why whenever there’s mining, the people suffer because we are in a geohazard zone,” she said.</p><p>The <a href='http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/17/18/chamber-of-mines-asks-govt-to-intensify-crackdown-on-illegal-small-scale-mining'><strong>Chamber of Mines of the Philippines</strong></a> on Monday urged the government to intensify its crackdown against illegal small-scale miners.</p><p>Lopez said the government should focus on large-scale miners because they "cause large scale problems."<br> <br>Mine workers should be given alternative jobs that are related to the environment preservation, she said. Itogon can be developed into a tourism hub, she said.</p><ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/17/18/benguet-corp-small-scale-miners-in-itogon-ignored-warnings'>Benguet Corp: Small scale miners in Itogon ignored warnings</a></li></ul><figure class='op-interactive'><div id='IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container'> <ivs-player id='IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1' data-ivs-spid='3001339' data-ivs-key='e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603' data-ivs-vid='1423970' data-ivs-floating='1' ></ivs-player> <script src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js'></script> <script src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js'></script> </div></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Dozens of people were killed after Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) <a href='http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/16/18/death-toll-in-itogon-landslides-rises-to-43'><strong>triggered a landslide</strong></a> that buried mining bunk houses in the mountain town of Itogon, Benguet.</p><p>"For me the biggest message here is that we are really not fit for mining because look at what happened when the typhoon hits, there’s a landslide sinong nagdudusa? Yung taong doon nakatira," Lopez told DZMM.</p>

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img src='http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/09/19/20180919_itogon.jpg' ><figcaption>Scores of residents leave Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet on September 16, 2018 after a massive landslide buried several houses at the heigh of typhoon Ompong's onslaught.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – Deadly landslides are a reminder that the Philippines is unfit for open-pit mining, former environment secretary Gina Lopez said Wednesday.</p>

<p>Open pit mining destroys forests that are supposed to protect the people from typhoons hit, Lopez said.</p><p> </p>

Open pit mining destroys forests that are supposed to protect the people from typhoons hit, Lopez said.

Philippines 'not fit' for open-pit mining: Gina Lopez | ABS-CBN News

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Philippines 'not fit' for open-pit mining: Gina Lopez

Philippines 'not fit' for open-pit mining: Gina Lopez