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Republic
of
the
Philippines
HOUSEOF
REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon
City
FOURTEENTH
CONGRESS
SecondRegularSession
HIUSE
RESOLIInOH
No.
918
,
....
,
r-"
,
.
'
~
'.
t
8
DEC
2008
let:
(}b
PH
~
.
INTRODUCED
by
BAYANMUNAReps.
SATUR
C.
OCAMPOandTEODORO
A.
CASINO,
ANAKPAWIS
Rep.
RAFAEL
V.
MARIANO,
GABRIELA
Reps.LUZVIMINDA
C.
ILAGANand
L1ZA
L.
MAZARESOLUTIONDIRECTING
THE
COMMITIEES
ON
NATLIRALRESOURCES
AND
PUBLIC
WORKSANDHIGHWAYS
TO
CONDUCT
AN
INVES'r1GATION,
IN
AID
OF
LEGISLATION,
ON
THE
CONTROVERSIALREHABILITATION
OF
PUBLICROADSFINANCEDBYMARCVENTURES
MINING
ANDDEVELOPMENT
CORPORArlON
TO
AID
ITSMINING
OPERATIONS,AND
TO
COVER
THESUPPOSED
UNAVAILABILITY
OF
GOVERNMENT
FUNDS
IN
CANTILAN,
SURIGAO
DELSUR
WHEREAS,
on
September
6,2008,
SurigaodelSurGovernorVicentePimentelJr.orderedthereinstatement
of
controversialroadrehabilitationwork
in
BarangaysCabangahantoParang,Cantilantown,SurigaodelSur;WHEREAS,thesaidroadrehabilitationprojectwasinitiatedbyaminingfirm,MarcVenturesMiningandDevelopmentCorporation(MMDC).Theprojectcoversnearly20kilometersthatpassesseveralmineral-richbarangaysthat
is
part
of
theprovincialroad;WHEREAS,inapressconference
in
thesaidtown,barangaychairmencomposed
of
Association
of
BarangayCaptains(ABC)PresidentAntonioFrancia
of
BarangayPag-antayan,TeodoroLuang
of
Bugsukan,IgnacioRuadulofConsuelo,EmmanuelPlaza
of
Parang,NoelAzarcon
of
Tapi,andBarangayCaptainMartinAmpo,Jr.
of
Cabangahan,toldnewsmentheywelcomedthereinstatementordersaying"theactofgoodwillbytheminingfirmtorepairtheroadswillsolvethelong-timeroadnetworkproblem;"WHEREAS,thebarangaychairmenrequestedtheowner
of
MMDC,businessmanMarioVijungco,whoisformerowner
of
VenturaTimberCorporation,tofundtheroadrehabilitationworksviaaresolution;WHEREAS,someofthebarangaysmentionedarewithinminingareascoveredbygovernmentapprovedMineralProductionSharingAgreement(MPSA)heldbyMMDC;WHEREAS,MMDCofficialsclaimedthattheroadrehabilitationprojectcostthemsomeP20million;
 
WHEREAS,
thebarangaychairmensaidthat"this
is
supposedtobethejob
of
thegovernmentandourconstituentshavebeencallingourattentionalongtimeagotohavetheseroadsrepairedandsomebridgesbuiltandsincethegovernmentadmittedithasnofundsas
of
themoment,weaskedassistancefromtheminingfinnwhichreadilyhelpedus;"
WHEREAS,
lastAugust
7,2008
theregionaloffice
of
theMinesandGeosciencesBureau(MGB-Caraga)orderedallroadrehabworksstopped,claimingorderscamefromhigherups
in
Manila;
WHEREAS,
theMGB-CaragasuspensionorderwouldnotbeconditionallylifteduntiltheAssociation
of
BarangayCaptains
of
CantilanhelddialoguewithCatholicBishopNerioOdchimarwhoinitiallyscheduledthemeetingafterthetownfiesta
on
August15.However,thedialoguedidnotpushthroughasscheduled;
WHEREAS,
thedialoguepushedthroughlastAugust
29
at
theBishop'sHouse
in
TandagCitybutonlywithBishopOdchimar,members
of
theenvironmentalistgroupBaywatchFoundation,Inc.,andofficials
of
theMGB-Caraga,headedbyDirectorAlilioEnsomo
in
attendance.ThedialoguewasmoderatedbytheDiocese
of
TandaglawyerGerryMaglinte;
WHEREAS,
theofficialresult
of
thedialoguewasnotreleasedbutBaywatchFoundationofficialsclaimedBishopOdchimarexpressedobjectiontotheresumption
of
therehabilitationworks,claimingtheworkwaspart
of
miningactivitiesandthereforeviolatescertainprovisions
of
themininglawwhichprohibitsminingfirmsfromconductingactivitieswithoutanEnvironmentalComplianceCertificate(ECC);
WHEREAS,
as
of
September2008,MarcVenturesMining
is
stillwaitingforapproval
of
itsECC;
WHEREAS,
MGB-CaragaRegionalDirectorAtilioEnsomohaspronouncedthattheroadrehabilitationworksarenotpart
of
miningactivities,sayingonlymineraloreextractionanddiggingconstituteminingactivities;
WHEREAS,
BaywatchpresidentEmmaHotchkiss,sister
of
formerAirForceChiefWilliamHotchkiss,hasclaimedshepossessesdocumentsrevealingthattheroadrehabilitationprojectwillbeusedbytheminingcompany
in
haulingrawores;
WHEREAS,
theBaywatchFoundationhasbeencallingforthecancellation
of
theMineralProductionSharingAgreements(MPSAs)
of
twominingfinns,MarcventuresMiningandCaracanDevelopmentCorporation,withatotalarea
of
morethan9,000hectares,claimingtheMPSAscoverwatershedareasandthereforenomining
is
allowedundertheMiningAct
of
1995;
WHEREAS,
theCantilanIrrigatorsAssociationandtheNationalIrrigationAdministration(NIA)SurigaodelSurprovincialofficehavebeenaskingthenationalgovernmentforyearsnowtodeclaretheareaasprotectedwatershedareas;
WHEREAS,
bothVijungcoandMGBofficialEnsomoclaimedthesaidareaswerenotdeclaredprotectedwatershedareasbythegovernment;
of 00

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