Philippines Update

Philippines Update

22nd October 2006

Typhoon Milenyo recently hit the Philippines causing damage to various mining projects, and once again shutting Lafayette's Rapu Rapu mine. It has since re-opened, but has caused further financial problems for the Australian firm, and once again shown how difficult it is to mine in the Philippines. At the same time the Philippine government has had to re-affirm its support for mining and being accused, sensibly, of 'having second thoughts' (especially as it has been forced to cancel the operations of Platinum Group Metals Corp. in Palawan for over-extracting minerals). Local communities are having no such second thoughts, with representatives from Mindoro travelling to Norway to challenge Crew over their proposed nickel project (with the company refusing to meet them) and the municipality of Buluan passing a resolution opposing the operations of Sagittarius Mines (Indophil) at Tampakan. Church partners in Caraga and Marinduque - the scene of the Marcopper disaster - have issued statements re-affirming their support for communities opposing mining, while DCMI in Zamboanga del Norte have re-affirmed their position on the eviction of farmers at TVI's Canatuan mine.