The Task Force formed to address illegal small scale mining in Sipalay City and Hinobaan, Negros Occidental recommends that a “phase-in, phase-out” approach should be employed to prepare the miners for the gradual stop of illegal small scale mining operations in Sipalay City and Hinobaan, Negros Occidental.
According to the task force, there should be a “phasing-in” of alternative livelihood programs for the small scale miners to help prepare them in the gradual “phasing-out” of small scale mining operations. The government will help put in place livelihood programs but that they should be determined by the affected miners who depend on small scale mining for their economic survival.
Understanding the predicament of the small scale miners, the Task Force emphasized that the stopping of small scale mining activities should be gradual and that alternative livelihood must be put in place before a stop can really be enforced.
The Task Force came out with this plan in a meeting on September 24, 2009. The body recommended to the Regional Executive Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region 6 (DENR-6) to issue a special order that will create the committees to oversee the plan.
The Task Force is a multi-sectoral group created by the DENR in 2007 to address the problem of illegal small scale mining operations in Brgy. Nabulao, Sipalay City and Brgy. Talagacay, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.
The Task Force is composed of the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 (MGB-6), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-6), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)-Negros Occidental, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Sipalay City, Department of Health (DOH-6), Province of Negros Occidental, Municipality of Hinobaan, Brgy Nabulao, Brgy., Sipalay City, Philex Gold Philippines, Inc. (PGPI), Binhi sang Kauswagan Foundation and representatives of the Small Scale Miners.
For decades, illegal small-scale mining has been a problem in these areas where miners do mostly panning of placer deposits in the river systems and some forms of hydraulicking of some areas in the mountain slopes where free gold can be found.
It goes way back in the early 1980s in the gold rush areas particularly in Sitios Libertad, Skid 8 and 9, Brgy. Nabulao, Sipalay City and Sitio Busay, Brgy. Talagacay, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental.
Presently, the people who are gold panning in these areas have reduced to about a hundred persons. According to the Task Force, this is an indication that the presence of placer gold in these areas has dwindled after more than 20 years of its being a panning gold area.
Back in 2003, the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board of Negros Occidental (PMRB-NOC) created a Technical Working Group to conduct a rapid assessment of the illegal small scale mining (SSM) areas. They confirmed the existence of illegal SSM activities within the approved Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) of Philex Gold Philippines, Inc.
The TWG assessment showed that unregulated small scale mining activities particularly hydraulicking method caused massive denudation, erosion and landslide on the hills and mountain slopes surrounding the Hinobaan River, also resulting to the siltation of the river’s tributaries. The discharges of slurry and hazardous chemicals such as aids and mercury also cause contamination of the existing river system.
Regional Director Leo Van V. Juguan of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 said that if fully implemented, the “phase in, phase-out out” plan will eventually put an end to the problem of illegal small scale mining in Sipalay City and Hinobaan, Negros Occidental. He again emphasized that this will only be possible if the affected ones are prepared and has livelihood for them and their families to live on.