Magalong bans small scale mining

There are around 300,000 to 500,000 small-scale miners in the city. #smallscalemining #BenjaminMagalong

A police inspects a small scale mining site in the city. (PIO)

Small-scale mining is no longer allowed in Baguio City after its local government found out miners are illegally operating along tourist spots in the city.

“I already prohibited small-scale mining through our environmental code. Our slopes here are already unstable,” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong told reporters at the sidelines of the 66th Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference Thursday.

“Baguio is a no mining zone. We cannot sacrifice safety, which remains our paramount concern. I told the council that we have to completely declare Baguio City as a no mining zone by the first semester of next year,” Magalong added

Since they started the crackdown two months ago, Magalong said the local government of Baguio already apprehended more than 20 illegal operations of pocket mining near the areas of Atok Trail, Philippine Military Academy Area, and Kennon Road.

Magalong said they are closely monitoring these areas as those are the zones where miners operate.

“The miners really know their way and they don’t have consideration to safety. But then again, mining is a livelihood. And livelihood means survival,” Magalong said.

Further, the city official said they already asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to restore the illegally-operated areas to ensure safety in the area.

“We have alternative livelihood programs for miners. The DENR allowed Minahang Bayan and it has stringent requirements. If mining operators cannot comply, then they are out. But here in Baguio we totally don’t have that,”

We encourage miners to shift to agriculture because they can always sell their products in our market.

When asked if the ban would have repercussions in the city’s revenue collection, Magalong said the order will pose no harm to the city’s economy as small-scale miners do not pay taxes.

Proclamation No. 414 issued by former president Carlos Garcia in 1957 declared some 380.9 hectares within the city’s townsite reservation covering portions of Barangays Loakan Apugan, Kias and Atok Trail as mineral reservations and excluded the same from the city’s townsite reservation.

Meanwhile, Proclamation No. 572 issued by the same president in 1959 excluded some 159 hectares from the city’s townsite reservation covering Barangays Mines View and Lucban from the city’s townsite reservation and declaring it as mineral reservation in the city.

To recall, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-Cordillera in May this year said it will not approve any application for mining within Baguio City.

Currently, there are around 300,000 to 500,000 small-scale miners who depend on small-scale mining as a source of income and livelihood.