Mesina, Eleanor Garcia People and the Environment

2nd Year / BS Psychology October 30, 2019

Marcopper Mining Disaster of 1996

On March 24, 1996, 23 years ago today, the drainage tunnels of the Marcopper

Mining Corporation were damaged due to an earthquake which caused millions of

tons of waste to spill in the Boac River in Marinduque. Due to this, nearby villages,

marine life, and the surrounding environment were drastically affected. This crisis did

not only cause damage to the health of the residents of that area during that time. It

still impacts the people of Marinduque up to this day.

Before the incident, there was already something wrong with the system in the

Marcopper Mining Corporation. Because the company did not allocate enough money

for the damage control or management of potential hazards. For more than 25 years,

the company was in operation, without much intervention from the government. In

fact, the DENR even renewed the company’s mining permit even though damage was

already visible especially to the villagers. And so, the number of hazards only grew

overtime until the strike of the natural disaster happened and that was the conclusion

for the company’s mining operation in the Philippines.

Hazards and their corresponding risks regarding the March 1996 mining disaster

are first, the distance of the villages to the mining operations. Since the process of

mining can be very dangerous considering the inhalation of unwanted particles and

chemicals that could damage the human body, the proximity of the civilians to the

mining company is not enough to be labeled safe. Even the regular inhalation of air

tainted with heavy metals can cause health problems. With the villagers there not

properly equipped to protect themselves from this hazard, the risk of having diseases

can be very high. In a news article from ABS-CBN News, arsenic and lead contents

were found to be in the circulatory systems of the residents living nearby, even with
Mesina, Eleanor Garcia People and the Environment

2nd Year / BS Psychology October 30, 2019

just inhaling the air with heavy metals. This caused skin diseases with complaints of

itching, rashes, black and white spots on the skin, and even anemia especially among

the children. Developmental delays and congenital problems among children were

also linked to this problem. Because regular inhalation of air tainted with heavy

metals is dangerous, even the central nervous systems (consisting of brain and spinal

cord) of people are also greatly affected. Thus resulted to delays in development and

issues with mental processing.

The second hazard is the toxic water in the Boac River. Although now it is

deemed “dead” by the government, before the disaster, it was one of the major

sources of livelihood of the villagers in nearby areas. And for at least 25 years, the

water has already been toxic to begin with because the operations in the Marcopper

Mining Corporation were already filled with error. Little by little, the river was

already being contaminated with wastes from mining. The company said that the

drainage tunnels were meant for bringing water to the mining pit, but the opposite was

happening--it was throwing waste instead. It was indeed a fundamental design

mistake and it cost the lives of the marine species in the river. Gradually, this was

becoming a greater risk for the people in that area and the environment surrounding it.

With the continuation of the mining operations, the resources of the people were

gradually depleted. Not only a significant body of water was destroyed for many

water-related activities, but also the source of food coming from edible marine life

that was killed by the toxic substances. The likelihood of the occurrence of harm

leading to the disaster was being increased. The severity of the harm was also indeed

very severe for the mining operations and management of waste not only produced

more harm than good but the problem also lasts up to this day.
Mesina, Eleanor Garcia People and the Environment

2nd Year / BS Psychology October 30, 2019

Another hazard is that people cross the river to get to school or to work and that

even direct contact with the toxic water with wastes and heavy metals can cause

health problems. Because the people are somewhat required to do this almost every

single day in order to work and study, the probability of acquiring diseases can be

high. It is hard enough to cross a river every day, what more if it is contaminated by

waste products of mining?

Ever since the start of the operations in 1969 in the Philippines, things were not

already living up to the standards of correct mining. First, the company allot

insufficient amount of money for possible damage that their company could produce

with their mining. They did not foresee the possible hazards and they did not have any

prepared solutions in case these problems arise. Not only were they negligent with

how they built their company, but they were also too selfish to only think of the

possible personal gains they could get from the business. The company did not think

that if they produce tons of waste and those wastes are not managed properly, then a

handful of people and the environment and other organisms in the area could suffer. In

terms of planning and budget allocation, they lacked in those areas.

Another problem is with the government. In 1969 when this Marcopper Mining

Corporation started in the Philippines, the standards set for mining, and rehabilitation

for affected areas were not enough. What if this disaster did not happen or it happened

later than 1996? Would the government not set higher standards and implement

stricter laws regarding mining? Because the government was being complacent for

almost 30 years and they waited for a disaster to happen before propelling their way

opposite from the problem, not only human lives but also valuable animal and plant

lives were destroyed. Now, the suffering of all these components continue to this day.
Mesina, Eleanor Garcia People and the Environment

2nd Year / BS Psychology October 30, 2019

The DENR also played a part in this because they renewed the permit of the

Marcopper Mining Corporation despite the evident problems that were already

present in the area like how the drainage tunnels had a problem with the design and it

was already causing improper waste disposal that affected the environment.

One thing that the company could have done differently was to definitely secure

the safety of their operations for every one involved, not just those of the company but

also the residents, the environment, and other species in those areas where they will

work. The departments of the government to allow this mining business to occur

should have also assured that in terms of the engineering, everything in their

operations were designed logically and are safe for all. They could have planned more

carefully and prepared the proper materials that would not have compromised the

health and livelihood of the people. Could they have not noticed that instead of

getting water, the drainage tunnels were actually releasing their waste onto the body

of water? If they had noticed it, then they should have had an immediate plan of

action that circles all aspects related to the concern.

Personally, I would suggest that since the law was improved regarding mining

ever since the disaster happened, that it would be better implemented and that every

mining company be checked thoroughly before they even start their operations. If

more harm is done than good, then it is probably best to lessen the companies that are

operating in the Philippines since as stated in an ABS-CBN news article, 98% of the

mineral production in our country is just being exported to other countries and in the

end, we gain little benefits. It does not even contribute a lot to the economy, so how

would it drastically fluctuate our economic system if the mining companies here are

lessened? Always, even with the large amount of money these companies try to offer
Mesina, Eleanor Garcia People and the Environment

2nd Year / BS Psychology October 30, 2019

us, we must first see the risks that could do more harm than good. And always, good

planning should be at the heart of every operation.