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Mining in The Philippines

The Philippines' Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 expands the definition of terrorism and gives the president new powers like warrantless arrests of terrorism suspects for up to 24 days, alarming human rights groups who say it could be used against political dissent. While the government says it aims to fight terrorism, businesses and the UN have also opposed the bill as a threat to civil liberties. The bill is now on the president's desk to be signed into law within 30 days unless challenged in the Supreme Court.

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49 views3 pages

Mining in The Philippines

The Philippines' Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 expands the definition of terrorism and gives the president new powers like warrantless arrests of terrorism suspects for up to 24 days, alarming human rights groups who say it could be used against political dissent. While the government says it aims to fight terrorism, businesses and the UN have also opposed the bill as a threat to civil liberties. The bill is now on the president's desk to be signed into law within 30 days unless challenged in the Supreme Court.

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Teacher Mo
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Mining in the Philippines

Mining in the Philippines has long been prevalent since the mining boom in the 1970’s.
The mineral wealth of our country is the cause of the mining movement that is said to be a big
help for the Philippines. Mining officials say that mining is the answer to the country’s poverty
and unemployment rate. Furthermore, mining operations usually happen in rural areas since
mineral resources are typically found in deep parts of land that are untouched and formed from
a long time ago. Minerals that are being mined are non-renewable resources, once used, it
cannot be used again. Although mining provides jobs, precious resources, and alleviates
poverty, it destroys the environment, affects the livelihood of the food producers, and harms the
ecology of the Philippines.
         According to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Systems (SWS) last March 2013,
there are 11.1 million jobless Filipinos. According to Wallace (2013), it is impossible to live
without mines and it helps to create thousands of jobs. A report by the Chamber of mining
claims that a projected LSM $15 billion investment will lead to 70,000 direct jobs that will make
350,000 other jobs and can potentially rise to 2,050,000 jobs by 2018. A short documentary film
made by the ABS-CBN foundation (2011) tackling the mining in Palawan had first-hand
accounts with some of the natives of Palawan. According to some of the natives in the area, the
people that they know are employed by the mining companies in their town, but those people
are yet to achieve the economic promise of mining. The jobs that they were given do not pay
well enough compared to what these workers must go through in their occupation. Mining is
present in their town but many of them remain poor and underemployed.
        Mining harnesses precious resources that are used in our everyday lives. The minerals
that are gathered by the mining operations are used in many materials across many industries
that run our world. According to Monsod (2012), mining cannot be done without affecting the
surroundings of the mining site. A farmer interviewed by ABS-CBN (2012) in their documentary
said that crop production is low since the arrival of mining operations in their area. Crop
production is said to be affected by the laterites extracted from the mines. Their rice production
before the mining companies came were 110 sacks a hectare, but when mining operations
began, rice production alarmingly decreased to only 50 sacks a hectare. Rice further decreased
when mining companies came. In addition, farmers are not the only food producers affected by
the laterites brought by mining operations. Fishermen are also affected by the mining operations
in their area. An interview with a fisherman in the same documentary said that the prawns
caught recently in the lake were significantly smaller than the prawns from the previous years.
Many of them wanted to complain to an official but they do not know where to go or whom to
consult. It is such a shame to think that the natives of the area who lived there for a long time
are not the ones who are benefiting from the land that they live in. Hence, with the destruction of
the land and water, it is hard to argue why they feel lazy or indolent to farm.
    Mining in the Philippines undoubtedly helps the country with minerals and jobs but it is
exaggerating to say that it is the way to development. Mining has long been present in our
country but genuine quality of life is yet to be achieved. The provinces where mining is present
are evidence to why mining cannot be called the way to development. Mining is not bad but it is
not good either. Absolute abolishment of mining is not needed but the strict control of mining
should be implemented. The minerals that are being extracted are non-renewable and cannot
be grown again. The damage done by mining operations leaves a mark for a long time. Thus,
beware to misleading and irresponsible mining here in the Philippines!

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The Philippines' Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020: Five things to know
Legislation already on Duterte's desk would give the president dramatic powers
CLIFF VENZON. June 10, 2020 17:28 JST

MANILA -- Days after being marked "urgent" by President Rodrigo Duterte, the
Philippines' House of Representatives last week approved the Anti-Terrorism Act of
2020, adopting the Senate's version, which was passed in February.
The bill has triggered online and street protests even as community quarantine
restrictions are in place due to the coronavirus outbreak. A multisectoral backlash has
also ensued, but supporters of the bill are pressing on.
Here are five things to know about the legislation that has polarized the Southeast Asian
nation as it grapples with the pandemic's economic fallout.

What exactly does this bill say and do?


The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 amends the Human Security Act of 2007. It expands the
definition of terrorism to include acts intended to cause "death or serious bodily injury to
any person," "extensive damage and destruction" to a government facility, private
property or critical infrastructure and when the purpose of those acts is to "intimidate
[the] general public," "create an atmosphere or message of fear," or "seriously
destabilize or destroy the fundamental political, economic and social structures of the
country." Those found guilty face life sentences without the chance of parole.
The act also criminalizes the "threat, planning, training, facilitating of" and "proposal"
and "inciting" to terrorist activities by means of speeches, proclamations, writings,
banners and emblems. It also subjects suspects to surveillance, warrantless arrest and
detention for up to 24 days. In addition, it removes compensation for the suspect in the
event of acquittal and boosts the Anti-Terrorism Council, the implementer of the law,
whose members are appointed by the president.

Why is the government pushing it?


Backers of the bill say the legislation seeks to end terrorism in the country, which is still
battling decades long communist and Islamic insurgencies. In 2017, Islamic State-
aligned militants laid siege to the southern city of Marawi; last year the southern region
was rocked by suicide bombings.
The Duterte administration's history of cracking down on political opposition and the
recent arrest of government critics are fanning fears that the pending anti-terror law will
be used to further squelch dissent.  
Even the lockdown did not stop terror, according to presidential spokesperson Harry
Roque, who cited the communist rebels' attacks on soldiers securing the distribution of
financial aid and attacks by Islamic militants in late May that led to an evacuation in the
country's south that uprooted over 6,000 people.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former police chief and proponent of the bill, said the Human
Security Act of 2007 "has proved to fail in terms of its efficacy as an anti-terrorism
measure," partly because it's lenient for offenders and restrictive for enforcers.
"Under the current Human Security Act, there are only four instances for terrorists to be
prosecuted under the law," Lacson said last year. "On the other hand, there are a total
of 20 instances where law enforcers can be charged and penalized for violations of the
Human Security Act."
Why is it being opposed?
The Philippines' Commission on Human Rights said the broad definition of "terrorism" in
the bill "paves the road for possible abuse."
"By this broad definition, starting a fight in a bar could technically be classified as an act
of terrorism," said Human Rights Watch, which called the act "a human rights disaster in
the making."
The overreach, according to CHR, could also be used "to limit substantial freedoms,
including expression of dissent, while [with] the vague and overly broad definition,
authorities could wantonly tag [the] exercise of rights as terrorist expressions."
Fears are also on the rise due to the Duterte's administration's history of cracking down
on political opposition and the recent arrest of government critics during the lockdown.
"It's not about going after terrorists," human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno said, "but
critics of this administration."
What do businesses and the international community have to say about the bill?
At least 16 Philippine business groups have jointly voiced strong opposition, calling the
bill "highly divisive because it poses clear and present danger to human rights
enshrined in our Constitution at a time [of pandemic] when our nation needs to come
together as one."
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the bill
"dilutes human rights safeguards, broadens the definition of terrorism and expands the
period of detention without a warrant from three to 14 days, extendible by another 10
days. The vague definitions in the Anti-Terrorism Act may violate the principle of
legality."
What are the chances that it will become law?
Duterte's office received the bill on June 9, giving him 30 days to act on it.
Amid crumbling support for the act -- some lawmakers have withdrawn their backing --
and mounting opposition from businesses, universities and the Catholic Church, the
Department of Justice said it will review the bill regarding its potential to violate
constitutional rights.
With the bill now on his desk, Duterte can sign or veto it anytime to reflect the executive
branch's amendments. If no action is taken on it, the bill automatically becomes law in
30 days.
But given the growing opposition to the proposed law, a legal challenge in the Supreme
Court is a possibility.

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