Sabi: ‘Eco-tourism an alternative to mining’

Bulag, pipi at bingi naman kapag rehabilitation ng mined-out sites sa Marinduque ang usapan.

Part of Marcopper's mined-out area. Google Earth.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to develop mined-out areas into eco-tourism zones that would help rehabilitate the mining sites and provide livelihood to affected communities.

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said they are now looking at areas that have big potential for becoming eco-tourism sites, consulting with community members on the transition.

“In fact, we already identified 13 towns in Dinagat and Surigao that can be developed as such. We call this ‘mine sites revegetation’,” Lopez said during a discussion with The STAR editors and reporters yesterday.

DENR Undersecretary Philip Camara said the area would be treated as one eco-tourism site, just like what is being done in Palawan, which has many tourist destinations.

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He said it is more beneficial to divert the sites’ orientation because eco-tourism gives better quality jobs.

This way, he added, 95 percent of the income will go to the affected communities as opposed to the mining business where the bulk of profits goes to investors.

Aside from community discussions, the department is now consulting scientists on what can be harvested from a rainforest.

“Rehabilitation or re-vegetation stimulates a green economy. For every 100 hectares, it will create 1,000 livelihoods. For example, we can have agriculture wastes converted into biochar as one form of livelihood,” Camara said. - Full story on Philstar

Other Marcopper mine sites.

What DOT now says: Conversion of closed mines into ecotourism sites eyed

Will Marinduque be in the picture?

THE Duterte administration has at least P80 million in funds to develop potential ecotourism sites and help support communities affected by the closure of select mining areas.

In Photo: Mount Makiling, an Asean Heritage Park, serves as background to happy children. The mountain and its environs has multiple purposes: field laboratory for research on environment and biodiversity, an ecotourism attraction, relaxation spots through its hot springs, and a haven for mountain climbers and sports enthusiasts.

This was disclosed as Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo said she is ready to sit down  with Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez on potential ecotourism areas.

In a text message to the BusinessMirror, Teo said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) can develop closed mining areas into ecotourism sites. “We are actually talking of ecotourism so we can help communities,” she said. The Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary chairs Tieza, an attached agency formerly known as the Philippine Tourism Authority.

Asked if exploratory talks have already been held with Lopez regarding potential ecotourism sites, Teo said, “Not yet. [But] I will sit down with her on this.”

Lopez recently announced the completion of a mining audit by her department, and said she was determined to close down several mines that have violated environmental laws and those in watershed areas. Watersheds help protect the supply of drinking water of local communities, as well as irrigation water for farms.

Will DOT not ignore Marinduque this time, once named as 'one of world's top islands', in its ecotourism conversion plan?

She added that the local communities in the closed mining areas will earn more if their sites are devoted to ecotourism activities.

Tieza COO Guiller Asido explained that “part of our mandate is to develop ecotourism projects. And we have identified this effort on ecotourism as a major initiative for 2017”. - Read full story on BusinessMirror

'Will Marinduque make a comeback?'     

On Marinduque, CNN Travel says: 'For years Marinduque has been under the foreign trippers radar, but not for long...' 

Read here

Excerpt from CNN International's travel feature '25 killer things to do this summer'

Recalling Marinduque's watershed forest reserves and other protected areas on this island

Amid all controversies surrounding Environment Sec. Gina Lopez' 'gift of love' to the Filipino people on Valentines' Day, the Heart of the Philippines continues to bleed. Strangely, she treats the Marinduque environmental and health concerns like it's something beneath her dignity to look into for reason only to her known.

To think that Marinduque was home to the largest copper mining operation in the Asia-Pacific Region. Now it is ranked as having one of the most denuded forests in the country. It remains the only 4th Class province in the MIMAROPA region today. Land area: 95,258 hectares; Population: 227,828 (2010).

And today, the threats of the potential collapse of more earthen dams high up in the mountains of central Marinduque, two of which had been breached causing untold suffering, are there for all to see - the stark evidence of irresponsible mining. 

All these have been thoroughly documented by scientists, local government units, civil society, media and environmental agencies. So too are the mining-related health impacts on the population - verified deaths caused by high levels of metals in the blood of children, related health concerns and definitely more of those in the coming years.

All these continue, remaining unaddressed by a government that at various times committed heavy complicity with the mines and is guilty of failure to protect its inhabitants from the very beginning.

This is a government with laws stating that mineral agreements shall not be allowed in virgin forests, proclaimed watershed forest reserves, wilderness area, mangrove forest, mossy forest, national parks, municipal forest, parks, greenbelts, game refuge and bird sanctuaries.

Think about it. In small-island, degraded and fragile Marinduque are watershed forest reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and mangrove forests all proclaimed as protected areas. That such areas exist in Marinduque is a wonder but perhaps unknown to many. 

Now these areas will be enumerated here before their destruction becomes real, imminent, or worse, they might already have passed that point of no return. In which case, there's no more point in calling the attention of whosoever environmental priestesses around. 

Still existing falls in Tumagabok, central Marinduque.
Photo: Morion Mountaineers Sta. Cruz Marinduque

The Marinduque Wildlife Sanctuary

Marinduque is one of only 8 provinces in the country with a proclaimed Wildlife Sanctuary. It is an area encompassing the municipalities of Boac, Gasan, Buenavista, Torrijos and Sta Cruz in Marinduque which are portions of timberlands containing an aggregate area of 8,827.96 has. There are portions overlapping with the mining tenements.

Proclaimed under NIPAS, Proclamation No. 696 8/17/2004, Parcel 1 consists of  5,597.75 hectares; Parcel 2 consists of 3,230.21 hectares

Proclamation No. 696 8/17/2004 Marinduque Wildlife Sanctuary

The Wildlife Sanctuary is described as a gently undulating mountain landscape falling into the coastal plains in the west and east. There is a large number of animals such as the Giant Borken Rats (Phloeomys cumingi) in this conservation area . The Philippine Pustelschwein (Sus philippensis) is now regarded as extinct on the island.

From the genus of the bats there are records of the subspecies Hipposideros pygmaeus, Eonycteris robusta and Rhinolophus rufus . In amphibians the frog species Rana magna macrocephala and Kaloula conjuncta exist in the area.

Philippine Duck. Photo: Wikipedia

From the avifauna are observations in this Wildlife Sanctuary of the Philippine duck (Anas Luzonica), the Luzon-Spatelschwanzpapageis (Prioniturus luconensis) and Rotsteißkakadus (Cacatua haematuropygia).

This portion of the Marinduque Wildlife Sanctuary map clearly shows the Marcopper built earthen dams (blue color) overlapping the protected area.

Torrijos Watershed Forest Reserve

This is located in Torrijos, Marinduque and comprises an area of 105 hectares. Proclaimed as a Watershed Forest Reserve under  Proclamation No. 463 45/1932.

Map of Torrijos WFR. It overlaps with a Marcopper mining tenement.

Naampias River Watershed Forest Reserve 

This Watershed Forest Reserve is also in Torrijos, Marinduque comprising an area of 417 hectares. It is covered by Proclamation No. 357 4/20/94

In this area of residual. rushland/grassland were monitor lizards, wild pigs, deer civet cats, hornbills, jungle fowsl, brahminy kites, and aquatic fishes as identified in a 2000 study sponsored by USAID with a small group of scientists, NGO's, the government (PAWB, BFAR, LGUs), and academic institutions, titled "Saving the Hottest of the Hotspots".

Overlapping the protected areas.
Marinduque mining tenement map from MGB.

Marinduque Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserves

In 1981, certain parcels of the public domain and/or parts of the country were declared as Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserves. They included parts of Sta. Cruz, Marinduque, specifically:

The Islands of Sta. Cruz and the Island of Salomague, the foreshoreline of Bo. Dapdap and Alabo up to the mouth of Tagum River, Malinao Creek up to Salomague Point, and the foreshoreline of Bo. Cabuyagan to the eastern side of Dating Bayan River in Calancan Bay.

This was covered by Proclamation 2152 12/29/81.

Marinduque's Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserves in Sta. Cruz

"... the Islands of Sta. Cruz and Salomaque, the foreshoreline of Bo. Dapdap and Alabo up to the mouth of Tagum River at Long. 122° 04’12” and Lat. 13° 27’45”, Long. 122° 04’27” and Lat. 13° 28’25”, Long. 122° 07’01” and Lat. 13° 29’01”, Malinao Creek up to Salomaque Point at Long. 122° 06’42” and Lat. 13° 23’12”, Long. 122° 08’42” and Lat. 13° 22’18” and the foreshoreline of Bo. Cabuyagan to the eastern side of Dating Bayan River in Calancan Bay at Long. 121° 58’20” to 122° 03’00” and Lat. 13° 30’28” all located in the province of Marinduque..."

Relevant portion of Proclamation No. 2152 declaring parts of Marinduque as Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserves.

Mt. Malindig's ecosystem. Photo: Morion Mountaineers

The summit of Mount Malindig 

Elevation: 1157 m / 3795 ft 

(Jump-off point: Sihi, Buenavista)

The summit of Mt. Malindig is a representative sample of an ecosystem in Marinduque's biogeographic zone. Mossy, old-growth forests located above 1,000 m elevations such as those in Mt. Malindig are by law protected for conservation by RA 7856 known as the National Protected Area System Act of the Philippines (NIPAS).

Summit of Mt. Malindig. Photo: Morion Mountaineers Sta. Cruz Marinduque

Low-level cloud often covers this peak where an abundance of mosses, herbs and grass thrive on the ground and vegetation. Various shrubs and fern species occupy the areas beneath the forest canopy.

Makulilis Peak of Mt. Malindig. Photo: Morion Mountaineers

Makulilis Crater Peak of Mt. Malindig

(Jump-off point: Dampulan, Torrijos)

Mt. Malindig is the largest on the island, the most popular climb and hike for mountaineers and adventure groups.

Declare Marcopper as abandoned mine site

Am reposting this article published here on September 28, 2016, following public concerns now raised anew over the integrity of Marcopper's abandoned earth dams. No maintenance, repair and rehabilitation has been undertaken for the last 20 years and now these dams are at great risk for failure.

Declare Marcopper as abandoned mine site

20 mining firms have been recommended for suspension following the completion of DENR's audit of mining operations in the country. 11 more will continue to be monitored according to the DENR. But nowhere in the news do we find anything about Marcopper Mining Corporation in Marinduque. 

Marcopper should now be declared an abandoned mine site. From being a source of mineral extraction it should now be turned into a tourist attraction.

A Marcopper landscape. Photo: Randy Nobleza

20 years have passed since the infamous environmental disaster of 1996. Nothing was done to rehabilitate the mine site and the abandoned earthen siltation dams that are in danger of collapse, as scientists have warned. One such structure had, in fact, collapsed and destroyed lives and property in 1993. Then no river cleanup of the Boac ever transpired after a massive tailing spillage in 1996, considered the worst in the country's mining history.

It's a wonder that calls from the people of Marinduque for government action, and enumerable pleadings from local and national environmental groups have not been heeded. No one has risen to the occasion even as official assurances were given to seriously address such calls and pleadings.

In 2001 an agreement was made, according to which responsibilities were left with Marcopper, while Placer Dome, the Canadian co-owner fled the scene for good. The more that nothing  happened, so there goes claims of being socially responsible.

How it is even possible that in all those years, no mine environmental rehabilitation plan was ever implemented, is one for the books.

People have not forgotten. Photo taken at a mine spill commemoration rally. Photo: MACEC

We only know that the last 20 years merely saw the conduct of numerous congressional hearings, consultative meetings with concerned stakeholders, street protests and rallies, many cases filed before local and foreign courts, some of which were merely dismissed for various reasons. All of these have left our people's spirits drained.

Not even a High Court's favorable, final and executory decision on a tax case against the company was ever pursued for implementation by the local government concerned. And what about real property taxes now exceeding the amount of one billion pesos that have remained unpaid to most of Marinduque LGU's?

Marcopper landscape enjoyed by motorcycle riders. Photo: arkimx

What do we do now with the Marcopper mine site?

We cannot continue to just wait for another generation and do nothing about this unfortunate legacy of environmental degradation caused by the irresponsible rich, the high and mighty. It should be humanly possible to find creative solutions to the clear threats the mine site poses to our lives and to our environment.

The peace-loving people of Marinduque have been overly patient. But now, the time has come for the infamous Marcopper in Marinduque, best described as being the 'poster child for irresponsible mining, past and present', to be resolutely declared by the Duterte administration as an 'abandoned mine site'.

This should, however, entail full responsibility by the government to take the necessary steps to rehabilitate critical areas and structures therein to prevent any looming new disasters from ever happening again. 

Special eco-tourism zone

Government should then take the more challenging steps needed for the development of Marcopper's mining tenements in Sta. Cruz covering 4,758.32 hectares into what has been an elusive dream for Marinduquenos - conversion of the mine site into a special eco-tourism zone. 

Area still with lush vegetation in the mines. Photo: arkimx

This idea has been floated around for ages and remained just that. But it does provide an answer that, necessarily, would address the dam threats, and thereafter, entail the utilization of all existing mining infrastructure for reuse. That includes an airport strip and power facilities whose operations had ceased. A now abandoned golf course could also be redeveloped, as well as an existing hospital facility that could open up new possibilities.

Environmental, drug rehab

With the current national problem of putting up rehabilitation centers throughout the country for thousands of drug dependents, some surrenderees actually coming from all of Marinduque municipalities, a portion of the vast mines could also be considered for that purpose. This would immediately generate employment, livelihood and income for communities surrounding the mine site.

Then, for once, the existing but untapped Makulapnit Water Reservoir could supply water for the tourism zone, the neighboring barangays and the Boac community. Boac has its own share of perennial water supply problems. For once, too, decision makers, setting aside selfish interests, should welcome the opportunity of being part of such a challenge.

Makulapnit Water Reservoir. Photo: Luna "Pongkoy" Manrique

Extraction to attraction

More visitors could be drawn to Marinduque because of its beaches, caves, mountains, forests, its rituals, festivals, and its natural and laid-back ambiance. It was only a few years ago when this island-province was named one of the world's top islands for these natural attractions. Huge opportunities may have been lost but it cannot be too late for them to be resurrected.

Lack of foresight, planning and management could, of course, compromise whatever good plans well-meaning people might have on this move. Therefore, this would-be special eco-tourism zone development of the area must be master-planned by professionals or site planners with great achievement record.

As already mentioned, in the case of this virtually orphaned mine site, there are existing infrastructures that only need to undergo the necessary rehabilitation for reuse - such as existing roads (that should make the adjacent barangay residents very happy), airport, seaport, power facilities, golf course, hospital, housing and other mining facilities that could be converted into sites for passive and active recreational activities. A source of mineral extraction turned into a tourist attraction.

Pray

DENR and Secretary Gina Lopez still too busy with the audit of all mining operations to consider opening up great possibilities for this mine site in our beloved 'Heart of the Philippines'? 

One could only hope and pray that this central part of our island-province where copper, gold and silver were extracted, an area that has been turned into a danger zone of hellish pits and uncertainty, and a depiction of environmental degradation and man's greed, could finally be transformed into a symbol of a people's perseverance and strong resolve for justice to be upheld.

Coal mine in Upper Nithsdale (UK) turned into tourist attraction.

Silangan Beach, Mogpog, Marinduque

Low tide in Silangan Beach, Mogpog, Marinduque

Diving in Marinduque with LAV - Cong. Lord Allan Velasco

Marinduque is among the top dive destinations in the country. Being in the periphery of the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor teeming with concentrations of marine biodiversity, there are a lot of unexplored sections of coral reefs, steep walls and underwater canyons, some of which are shown being explored by Cong. Lord Allan Velasco in this video. 

One of the more popularly-known divesites around the island of Marinduque is Baltazar Island off Gasan, shown here.

Buenavista's grand Santo Nino Festival

The picturesque town of Buenavista

 The Santo Nino is the oldest and most popular religious image kept in almost every Catholic home and work places in the Philippines. The image played a significant role in the propagation of the Catholic faith especially at the start of Christianity in the country, the first image having been brought by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Many believe that the revered image has the power to heal the sick, grant one’s wishes and so it has attracted countless numbers of devotees.

January is the month of Santo Nino Festivals where many towns, cities and provinces pay homage to the Child Jesus through days of prayer that culminate in the holding of street dances. Prominent among these street festivals are Ati-atihan in Kalibo, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Sinulog in Cebu that over time have become major tourist draws.

Many barangays in Marinduque have likewise adopted the Sto. Nino as their patron and hold fiestas in honor of the Holy Child, but the town of Buenavista has honored the same as its patron for over a hundred years.

Last Saturday, January 19^th students from Buenavista’s secondary schools staged their own version of the Sto. Nino Street  Dance. Yook National High School and Buenavista National High School (BNHS) Main, with its campus annexes in barangays Bagacay, Sihi, Bagtingon, Daykitin and Lipata-Tungib came strong with a total of seven contingents.

Unlike most street dances Buenavista’s Sto. Nino Festival is not a competition but held only for the sheer fun of it and for sharing of youth creativity. For costumes and accessories, the Bagacay contingent apparently took off from their barangay-bred Tubaan festival that extensively utilized coconut leaf sheath, flowers, coconut leaf splinters and husks. Theirs were easily the most interesting festival costumes. The Lipata-Tungib contingent showed off abalone seashells that abound in those coastal barangays. Many girls wore skirts in various colors, textures and designs over black or beige tights and leotards or cycling shorts, while some wore Filipiniana. Most applauded for their tight, exuberant, clean choreography was the Daykitin group.

Many Buenavistans of all ages lined up the major streets of town to watch the performances. They cheered for their hometown boys and girls who all shouted the rallying cry that echoed throughout this fascinating town, “Viva Santo Nino! Arriba Buenavista! Viva Marinduque!”

The contingent from Bagacay with costumes and headdresses made of coconut leaf sheath, husks and leaf splinters.

The drummer boys from Buenavista National High School

The girls from Sihi and Timbo wore Filipiniana

Girl from Sihi with Santo Nino

Girls from Bagtingon wore butterfly-inspired costumes,
that's where the biggest number of butterfly species in Marinduque could be found.  

The performers from Yook National High School.

Tight, exuberant, clean choreography from the Daykitin contingent.

Girls from BNHS Daykitin Annex

Lipata-Tungib girls in their seashell costumes

Boy with abalone seashell headband and necklace.