Position paper against mining in Rapu-Rapu

C. Rapu-Rapu is a fragile island ecosystem

1. Eleven rural barangays and the town of Rapu-Rapu are dependent on a limited water supply produced by the watershed of the island. At present, some areas of the forest in this watershed is already denuded, thus endangering the availability of water and worsening the present state of the water supply. With mining, competition between the residents and the mining company for the limited water resource becomes even more serious.
   
   With the denudation of the watershed, the town of Rapu-Rapu has already experienced flooding in their places, thus the precious water which could have been deposited underground by natural processes in the watershed, is lost. This situation again aggravates the limited supply of water in the island.
   
   Fresh water is a very important and critical resource.
   
   It is important because people and living organisms need it for survival. Man can survive without food for 40 days, but without water, he/she can die in a matter of days.
   
   It is critical because it is so limited that on the global scale, fresh water supply available for living organisms including man is only 0.003% (Miller, 1997).
   
   Allowing mining to continue will mean sacrificing the needs of the people for water for domestic use in favor of mining needs.
   
   
2. The island provides the human communities with livelihood in terms of fishery, farming and native crafts.
   
   Destruction of the island for the sake of few jobs generated from mining activities will result to reduction in the productivity of the land for farming and coral reefs for fishing. Please recall the examples on page 5 of this paper.
   
   Contamination of the soil, water, air, food crops and livestock/fisheries can bring about diseases such as those mentioned in Table 1, which will require medicine. In most cases, such medicine is not only limited but costly, thereby adding cost to human survival and aggravating the poverty level of the less economically fortunate. Furthermore, diseases make people unproductive and thus, human resource becomes a liability.
   
   
3. The island supports a biodiversity unique to an island ecosystem.
   
   Some accounts of local residents mention the presence of large brown-colored bats (probably migratory) during some months of the year. A rare mollusk, the golden cowry can be found in the deeper portions of the coral reef at Malobago and Ungay Point (based on interview with local residents).
   
   The Ateneo de Naga Research team was able to observe yellow colored Oriole (Oriolus sp. Passeriformes - Oriolidae) which is now an endangered species. This species were seen in pairs along the coastal forest (Figure 12).
   
   

   Fig. 12: part of a coastal forest in Rapu-Rapu	Fig. 13: Ground Pitcher plant at Hixbar Mining Area

   
   
   The presence of a rare (probably endemic to the island, thus endangered) species of pitcher plant growing on the ground (Figure 13). Such species was seen at the abandoned Hixbar mining area.
   
   
4. It possesses coral reefs (see map in Figure 1) along the edges of the island. Some of these reefs are quite extensive.
   
   The coral reefs supply the needed fishes of the local inhabitants as well as those in the coastal areas of Albay Gulf and Lagonoy Gulf. These gulfs support the fishery needs of the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Samar.
   
   Gomez (1996) made a report on the status of coral reefs in the Philippines. In Albay, 33.3% of the coral reefs are considered poor (0 - 24.9% cover), 55.6% fair (25 - 49.9% cover) and 11.1% good (50 - 74.9% cover); 0% excellent cover. Camarines Sur has coral cover assessed at 100% fair (25 - 49.9%) only. There is no data for Sorsogon and Samar. Ocular inspection and interviews conducted by the undersigned in Gubat and Prieto Diaz (both in Sorsogon), and compared with Albay and Camarines Sur, these places have still good coral cover. The local governments of these municipalities are even proposing their reef areas as dive sites in their ecotourism projects using ecotourism principles.
   
   Destruction of the coral reefs can result from siltation/sedimentation coming from mine tailings and contamination from released heavy metals (pollutants) brought about by acid mine drainage. Siltation clogs the gills of fishes and smothers the coral polyps that serve to protect the coastal young fisheries.
   
   
5. The mineral exploration proposed will destroy 81% of the island. In March 16, 1994, Miracle Mile Mining Corp. registered with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR for 2,767.0526 hectares. It did not start exploration yet. Lafayette (Phils.) Co. entered the scene by registering with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR in August 29, 1997. It has applied for a total of 1,719.4310 hectares. Together, these companies will mine a total of 4,486.4836 hectares or 81% of the island (Please see Figure 14). Proofs of the expansion can be inferred from the various TVI Press releases dated Jan. 1999 - Jan. 2000.
   
   

   	Fig. 14: the extent of proposed mining exploration of Lafayette Mining Company and associates in the island of Rapu-Rapu. (Source: Lafayette Mining Company)
   	Fig. 14a: Location of mineral deposits in Rapu-Rapu

   
   It is apparent that mining will cover 81% of the island. Figure 14a) above shows the location of the minerals. The yellow colored ones have already been ascertained. The blue ones are those that are waiting to be explored and modern technology have already use satellite survey and geochemistry in locating ores. These are called as anomalies in geologic terms. The large blue one (pointed by an arrow) is just above the town of Rapu-Rapu. An interview with Mr. Apolonio Ortonio, who used to work with Hixbar mining company (1957 in Cotabato and 1970 in Rapu-Rapu), ascertained that they were the ones who initially explored the whole island and that the locations of the minerals as shown in Figure 14 is correct. Thus, a large mineral deposit is just above the town of Rapu-Rapu; smaller deposits still to be explored are in the other barangays.
   
   If open pit mining method will be used in the extraction of gold, silver, copper and zinc, and all those mineral deposits shown in the map will be mined, the whole island will have to go. A resulting displacement of people will eventually happen. Siltation and contamination by heavy metals of the water resources (fresh water and marine in both the Albay Gulf and Lagonoy Gulf) will also occur. Death to terrestrial and aquatic organisms will also likely happen.
   
   

6. Open pit mining is a real destruction of the environment. Figure 15 is the abandoned open pit at Hixbar mining area. Figures 15a) to 15d) show the various contaminated and destroyed portions of the past mining activities in the area. However, extraction in this area is not yet finished because this is still a part of the mineral exploration application by Lafayette Mining Company. Therefore, continued diggings will still enlarge this open pit.
   
   

   Fig. 15: The abandoned open pit mine at Hixbar mining area 330 meters above sea level (asl)

   
   
   

   Fig. 15a: a steep climb on the way to the open pit above	Fig 15b: a contaminated creek coming from the open pit mine above
   Fig. 15c: and 15d: Contaminated creeks encountered on the way to the open pit above (fig. 15)

   
   

   In conclusion, the decision to allow mining to continue in the island of Rapu-Rapu is critical to the survival of the people and the fragile ecosystem therein and connected ecosystems surrounding the island. The generation of a few jobs from the mining activities does not justify the destruction of an island and the displacement of its people. Similarly the resulting destruction and contamination/pollution in the extraction of gold to decorate a few affluent members of society is a form of injustice.
   
   Once the island is reduced by mining activities to rocks and rubbles devoid of living organisms, typhoons and heavy rains will continue to devastate the island and sweep it off of its loosened materials. Heavy metals released will contaminate fisheries in Albay Gulf and Lagonoy Gulf. The small islands in the Philippines are important sources of fishery. The coastal areas of our mainland are already suffering from siltation due to denudation of its forest and mangrove areas. The small islands still contain coral reefs that can be regenerated. Protection of these islands must be taken seriously because it will be our last resort. Once protected and regenerated, these islands will mean continued supply of fishes for the Philippines.