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http://www.gmanews.tv/story/223692/regions/dilg-denr-to-help-enforce-mining-ban-in-romblon

DILG, DENR to help enforce mining ban in Romblon
06/17/2011 | 01:19 PM
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The people of Romblon scored double breakthroughs early this week in their fight against mining after the provincial government gained the full backing of the national government in enforcing the mining ban in the province.

?We will enforce the mining ban in Romblon," Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo told provincial officials led by Romblon Vice Governor Manuel Madrid in a meeting held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) III last Wednesday.

Joining Madrid in the meeting with Secretary Robredo were Mayors Dindo Rios of the municipality of San Fernando, Ibarra Mansala of Magdiwang town, and Festo Galang of Cajidiocan town.

In January this year, Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo issued an Executive Order imposing an indefinite moratorium on all metallic mining in the province after several mining areas, particularly in Sibuyan Island, tested positive for high-level concentration of mercury, a toxic chemical used in mining specifically for separating gold from ore.

Last Wednesday, Secretary Robredo advised the local government (LGU) heads present at the meeting to address not just the problem on enforcement of the ban but also the livelihood concerns of those who will be displaced immediately by the moratorium ? about 500 families in Sibuyan Island whose livelihood mainly depends on small-scale mining.

On effective enforcement, the Secretary said he would instruct the Provincial Police Office to strictly implement the ban in cooperation with the LGUs.

On the economic side, he assured the delegation that he will help the province secure assistance from different government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for immediate and long term livelihood projects.

No more mining permit

At a dialog with local officials and civic leaders earlier last week, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje said, "We will not sign any mining permit in the province of Romblon."

Romblon officials who were at the dialog include Governor Firmalo, municipal mayors Festo Galang, Limuel Cipriano of Concepcion, Eddie Lota of Alcantara, and Artemio Madrid of Sta. Maria.

Odiongan Sangguniang Bayan member Bonbon Fernandez, Bishop Ronel Fabriquer of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), General Orville Gabuna of the Commission on Appointments, Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) representative Rodne Galicha, and Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) head Dr. Art Tansiongco were among other local officials and civic leaders present at the forum with Secretary Paje.

Meanwhile, House Bill No. 4815, which seeks to declare the whole province of Romblon as a no mining zone, had already passed the committee level in the House of Representatives. ? Jerbert Briola/LBG, GMA News

And then there's this one....
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/15794/romblon-gets-backing-on-mining-ban
Romblon gets backing on mining ban
By Maricar Cinco
Inquirer Southern Luzon
12:08 am | Saturday, June 18th, 2011
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Local officials in Romblon welcomed the support of two Cabinet members in enforcing a total ban on all forms of mining on the island-province.

This was after the local officials sought an audience with Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje to present the long list of resolutions and ordinances by the local governments of Romblon to oppose small- and large-scale mining on the island.

Provincial information officer Wilson Fortaleza on Friday said Robredo, in a meeting with Romblon Vice Gov. Manuel Madrid and the town mayors of San Fernando, Magdiwang and Cajidiocan on Sibuyan Island, gave the assurance that he would ?enforce the mining ban.?

San Fernando Mayor Dindo Rios by phone on Friday also said that based on their meeting on June 15 at the VIP lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport III, Robredo particularly cited the ban on small-scale mining operations in Magdiwang town.

?He said he was bringing in police forces to help enforce the mining ban,? Rios quoted Robredo as saying.

Robredo, however, wanted a careful planning of alternative livelihood for the 500 families dependent on small-scale mining.

?He is tapping other government agencies (for instance the Department of Agriculture) to help people find other sources of livelihood and asked the local government units to improve their ecotourism projects,? Rios said in the phone interview.

Small-scale mining thrives on Sibuyan Island, specifically in the village of Dulangan in Magdiwang town.

The village came to be known as such because of the practice of using the dulang, a device for manual recovery of gold. Use of mercury to pan the gold from the ore also remains rampant based on earlier tests showing a high concentration of the toxic chemical.

As an alternative to gold mining, Rios said they wanted to develop ecotourism in Romblon, banking on the natural parks, night bird-watching activities, and the rich marine culture of Sibuyan Island.

The island is home to Mt. Guiting-guiting, a popular trekking site.

In a separate meeting with Paje, Romblon officials were reportedly assured by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary that he would stop issuing permits for large-scale mining operations in the entire province.

?He (Paje) made the commitment that he would not sign mining permits in Romblon but he called on the municipal mayors to also make a commitment to stop mining in their areas,? said provincial board member Felix Ylagan.

Ylagan said he was present at the dialogue with Paje together with Romblon Gov. Eduardo Firmalo, environment advocate Gina Lopez, and other local officials and environmental groups at the DENR office in Quezon City on June 10.

Paje was also looking into bringing in a composite team from the Armed Forces and the Philippine Navy to enforce the mining ban, particularly on Sibuyan Island, said Ylagan