Mogpog seeks community-led Marcopper rehabilitation plan
Representative calls for updated environmental assessment, immediate restoration efforts
Mogpog Municipal Accountant Michael de Chavez, representing Mayor Jojo Livelo, presents proposals for a community-based rehabilitation program for areas affected by Marcopper Mining Corporation during a consultation with Marinduque Governor Melecio “Mel” Go. De Chavez calls for updated environmental assessments, water quality monitoring, mountain stability studies and immediate community restoration initiatives, emphasizing the need for coordinated action among government agencies, technical experts and affected communities.
A representative from Mogpog has proposed a community-based rehabilitation program for areas affected by Marcopper Mining Corporation, urging the provincial government to prioritize updated environmental assessments, interagency cooperation and immediate restoration activities while developing a comprehensive recovery plan.
During a consultation with Marinduque Governor Melecio “Mel” Go, the representative said Mogpog had already organized a local task force to gather information from affected communities and establish baseline data that could guide future rehabilitation projects.
He stressed that environmental problems associated with mining operations had affected Mogpog long before the major Marcopper-related incidents between 1993 and 1996.
According to the representative, communities had experienced flooding during heavy rainfall as early as the 1980s, underscoring the need to examine the long-term environmental conditions of affected areas.
He also expressed concern that the funds being discussed for rehabilitation might not be sufficient to address the extent of the environmental damage without proper planning and coordination.
The representative proposed a sectoral approach involving national government agencies, academic institutions, technical specialists and affected communities to identify rehabilitation priorities.
He emphasized that environmental recovery should not focus exclusively on infrastructure projects such as dams and dikes.
Instead, he suggested implementing community restoration activities that could help improve environmental conditions and restore livelihoods even before a comprehensive rehabilitation program is finalized.
Among his recommendations were updated water quality monitoring, assessments of mountain stability and the collection of current environmental data to replace or supplement studies conducted decades ago.
He also proposed involving the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), universities and other technical institutions in developing rehabilitation strategies.
The representative explained that while local stakeholders could contribute information and assist in monitoring water quality, specialized expertise would be needed to evaluate mountain stability and other environmental hazards.
He said the Mogpog task force could provide community-level observations and information to support technical assessments conducted by qualified experts.
Responding to the proposals, Go acknowledged the importance of conducting detailed scientific assessments before implementing rehabilitation projects.
The governor emphasized that proposed interventions must be evaluated based on their estimated costs, potential impacts and effectiveness in addressing environmental problems.
He also stressed the need for qualified specialists to guide the provincial government in determining appropriate rehabilitation measures.
Go confirmed that the provincial government had already sought technical assistance from the DENR and the University of the Philippines.
He suggested awaiting responses from the institutions to ensure that rehabilitation planning would be coordinated and that technical efforts would not be duplicated.
The Mogpog representative clarified that the task force intended to consolidate community information rather than replace the work of technical experts.
The exchange highlighted the need to combine scientific expertise, community participation and government coordination in addressing the long-term environmental consequences of Marcopper's mining operations in Marinduque.