The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines on Thursday denied that mining companies cause suffering in their area of operations.
CoMP made the statement after Environment Secretary Regina Lopez said “the poorest areas in the Philippines are mining areas.”
“We do not cause suffering in areas where we operate contrary to Lopez’s belief. In fact, we ease these sufferings by complementing the government’s delivery of social services and by implementing our environmental protection and enhancement programs,” said CoMP executive vice president Nelia Halcon.
The group cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showing that in 2015, the ten poorest provinces were Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Saranggani, Northern Samar, Maguindanao, Bukidnon, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Norte, Siquijor and Agusan del Sur. “None of these provinces play host to mining firms,” Halcon said.
CoMP said another report from PSA showed that in 2012, the mining towns of Benguet in the Cordillera Administrative Region posted low poverty incidence. The group said poverty incidence in Itogon which hosts Benguet Corp. and Philex Mining Corp. was at 4.8 percent. In Mankayan, where the operations of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. is located, poverty incidence during the same period was at 6.2 percent. CoMP said in Tuba which hosts Philex Mining Corp., poverty rate was at 4.6 percent.