BM Apostol expresses concern over ongoing mining operations in Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte Second District Board Member Anlie Apostol said that she was surprised by reports concerning an on-going mining operation in MacArthur town as the national government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had already implemented their decision to have a moratorium on mining in the entire country.

“I went to the area to look if the report is true and people immediately approached me, telling me what is really happening in their area,” said Apostol.

“I was surprised with what the people had told me and on the report that I’ve read in a local newspaper that the concerned agency for mining will issue mining permit to applicants not just in the province but in the entire region because there is a moratorium currently implemented by the national government,” Apostol stressed.

“That is why I made a query to my fellow board members and inform them on what is really happening so that the committee concerned can take a look and we can have action regarding the problem,” added Apostol.

“I cannot just set it aside because the town is part of my district and it concerns the welfare of the people,” she said.

Apostol added that mining operators based on the provision of the law should only rent the land where they are operating but based on the report that reached her, mining operators in Macarthur are now buying lands from the farmers.

“If they are now buying the lands from the farmers, therefore these properties will not go back to the original owners,” Apostol said, adding that based on the mining law after the mining operators were able to extract the minerals from the area of operation it should be rehabilitated then return the land to its original owners.

With this problem, Apostol said that she asked the committee on environment chairman Board Member Roque Tiu to look into said concern which he gladly accepted.

“I am glad that Board Member Tiu said that he will look into it and knowing him, he will immediately talk with the concerned agency about this matter,” said Apostol. (Roel Amazona)