Philippines Update
Published by MAC on 2006-09-03
Philippines Update
3rd September 2006
Greenpeace and Lafayette are squaring off after the group's campaign ship, the MV Esperanza, led a protest flotilla to the site of the Rapu Rapu mine - now given the go-ahead to enter the final stage of testing, prior to a decision to recommence operations. A documentary film, made by opponents of Crew Mineral's about their proposed project on Mindoro, has received further publicity while Crew is rapidly expanding its Philippine portfolio of projects (into another opposed project in the South Cotabato coalfield). The UK parliamentarian, Clare Short, has visited the Philippines to assess for herself the situation regarding large-scale mining investment and local opposition, with a fact-finding report to be published soon (although she has already issued an initial condemnation). As good examples of that local opposition, we carry two statements from communities in Eastern Mindanao.