By DAVAO – PANALIPDAN Youth – Davao, a Mindanao-based environmental youth alliance, called for the cessation of the operation of Apex Mining Co. Inc., after the landslide that occurred in Maco, Davao de Oro on February 6, which claimed the lives of 68 individuals, and destroyed the homes and properties of hundreds of others.
In a statement, the group said that despite being denied by Apex Mining Co. Inc. and its apologists that the mining company had nothing to do with the incident and pointed to the heavy and long rains as the reason for the landslide, the group still stands by their call.
PANALIPDAN Youth – Davao also stated that the Philippines is rich in natural resources and that these resources are all connected to each other. So, any form of mining activity, especially if it is large-scale, has a negative impact on the environment as a whole.
The group added that there is already a history of landslides in Maco in 2007 and 2008 that collapsed and weakened the foundation of the area’s land, and it has been declared a “no build zone” but despite this, Apex was still allowed by the national and local government to operate.
PANALIPDAN YOUTH – Davao challenged Apex Mining that if the company is true and sincere in their mantra of ‘responsible mining’, they should have already known that the area is prone to landslides and floods, they should not have pushed their operation any further.
The group called for Apex Mining to provide comprehensive compensation and rehabilitation to all victims of the tragedy. The group called the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to suspend the operation of Apex Mining while the agency reviews its ‘environmental mitigation strategies’.
PANALIPDAN Youth – Davao also called on President Bongbong Marcos to see the landslide incident as a wake-up call to declare a climate emergency and take action to implement sustainable development initiatives./PT
