Broken vow
Residents and environmental groups are apprehensive as they said the project involves open-pit mining but was approved by the local provincial board as ‘strip mining.’
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Daily TribuneResidents and environmental groups are apprehensive as they said the project involves open-pit mining but was approved by the local provincial board as ‘strip mining.’
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San Miguel Corp., one of Asia's biggest conglomerates, is going flat out to reverse its loss-making energy business by turning back on its vow to shift to renewable energy, apparently placing its bet on the use of ecologically-damaging coal.
"We're executing our plans to move away from building new coal facilities, despite new technologies that make them cleaner. It's a company direction that is in line with all the major sustainability initiatives we have undertaken these past couple of years," SMC president Ramon S. Ang had said.
For South Cotabato residents, however, the SMC chief is merely paying lip service to reduce the country's carbon footprint.
SMC has invested heavily in a huge coal mine in the Daguma Mountain Range covering 17,000 hectares after the unit of the corporate giant San Miguel Energy Corp. purchased mining areas of three companies: Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., Sultan Energy Philippines Corp., and Bonanza Energy Resources Inc.
With global coal prices rising amid the spike in demand due to the return of most economies to pre-pandemic vigor and the effects of the Eastern European conflict, SMC is turning to low-grade coal which emits more pollutants despite its assurance to the public of using advanced technology.
The South Cotabato mine is estimated to yield 180 million metric tons of brown coal, which miners say is the dirtiest kind of mineral.
Tribal communities, environmental groups, and the local Catholic Church, however, wanted the project halted because of its effect on the environment, food security, and the indigenous peoples.
Residents said the project has started in earnest as SMC brought in heavy equipment in the village of Ned for the clearing stage of the mining operations.
Residents and environmental groups are apprehensive as they said the project involves open-pit mining but was approved by the local provincial board as "strip mining."
The South Cotabato government has banned open pit mining since 2010 that held back the Tampakan copper and gold extraction project of Sagittarius Mines Inc.
A strong influence was applied early this year for the South Cotabato provincial board to recommend the lifting of the ban on open pit mining, if not for Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.'s veto that kept it in place.
SMC is not abandoning its coal business anytime soon since it also plans to build a mine-mouth coal power plant.
Residents said strip mining is merely another word for open-pit mining.
During his visit to the project area, Ang promised the villagers displaced by the coal mining operations will be provided with a house and lot in a relocation site.
They were also promised jobs in the project "depending on their qualifications," among several others.
Village officials said the company offered P120,000 per hectare to tribal leaders, and many of them agreed to sell their land as they were also promised to be prioritized in the job placement.
The bottom line in the South Cotabato project, however, is that SMC can't keep its corporately responsible promises.
