MAGANES: Black sand mining, environmental issue more than political

The black sand mining in Sabangan village in Lingayen has already been the subject of numerous news articles that appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer lately. It has also been the subject of protests from the residents of that village including environmental groups that reached even the Office of the President and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

What led to the controversy dated back last June 2011 when the provincial government of Pangasinan hired the services of a consultant for the construction of an 18-hole golf course. It was said that the consultant found out that desired vegetation or grass cover for the golf course could not grow in the golf course site. It was found out later that the proposed golf course site was filled with black sand or magnetite- a mineral element which is used for the production of steel. The black sand has been regarded as unsuitable material that has to be eradicated from the golf course site to make grasses and other vegetation grow.

The provincial government then issued a gratuitous permit to Alexandra Mining Ventures and the Provincial Housing and Urban Development Office (PHUDO) to extract the black sand in Sabangan and put up an extraction machine in Malimpuec village to separate the ” unsuitable black sand” from that of the soil- the latter to be returned as top material for the golf course.

The residents and barangay officials (except the barangay captains) of Sabangan, Estanza and Malimpuec objected to the operations of Alexandra Mining Ventures. They wrote the Mining and Geo-sciences Bureau of DENR in San Fernando, La Union which in turn issued a cease and desist order for Alexandra Mining Ventures to extract the black sand in the area. It was a move of the DENR that was welcomed by the residents of the affected areas. To their dismay however, the cease and desist order was short lived. The province entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Xypher Builders in October 2011, again for the extraction of black sand, for two years. The protesting residents in the area were surprised to that decision of the provincial government. They discovered that the owners of Alexandra Mining Ventures are the same owners of the Xypher Builders that was only incorporated under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in November 2011. Xypher Builders continuously extracted the black sand and accumulated more or less 25 metric tons that were then ready for loading to a ship with alleged Chinese speaking crews. The shipment was aborted. The ship was intercepted by the Coastal Guards based in Dagupan City. The mounds of black sand remained in Malimpuec village and the extraction with backhoe in Sabangan village continued.

The situation prompted the protesting residents to file a case before the Ombudsman against Governor Amado T. Espino Jr., Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan , PHUDO Chief Alvin Bigay and the owners of Xypher Builders. They also requested the intervention of Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino, House member of the Committee on Natural Resources, who visited the controversial project site on January 24. He said before media men who were with him in that visit that he will file a resolution in the House of Representatives for congressional inquiry on massive black sand mining not only in Pangasinan but also in Cagayan, Leyte and other parts of the country.

On January 30, 2012, Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan called for a press conference to clarify the issues regarding the black sand mining. He said that the issue is now being used by local politicians and those who want to advance their political ambition at the national level, referring to Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino.Baraan further said that the provincial government will not let malicious propaganda at the expense of the people of Pangasinan and that they will not destroy the environment as claimed by the protesters. ” The province is a Hall Fame Awardee on Coastal Resource Management and we will not make any action that is disadvantageous to the environment,” he clarified.

Baraan also recalled during the press conference that the site was covered by a Presidential Proclamation in 1994 by then President Fidel Valdez Ramos and in 1998, the said proclamation was amended to delineate the actual area of the site known as Eco-Tourism Area that involved 300 hectares. He said that on April 5, 2010 during the Agew na Pangasinan celebration , former President Fidel Valdez Ramos led the ground breaking of the eco-tourism project.

He said that the discovery of magnetite or black sand in the proposed golf course site was unintentional. According to him, a large area has to be cleared to give way to an “aqua city” that has to be established in the eco-tourism area which will in the end provide employment opportunities for the Pangasinenses. By extracting the black sand, Baraan said, will make the soil even more stable.” This is not a large scale black sand mining. What we are operating on is only a simple quarrying,” Baraan clarified.

In that press conference, I posed two questions: Is the eco-tourism area has already an approval from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)? The answer was none. Is the proposed golf course has already an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from DENR? The answer was none although the province now is working with Korean investors on the technical study of the project. Having asked those questions, many related questions toyed up in my mind. What if in the end the feasibility study for a golf course is not appropriate in the site? What if no investors will come in, who will continue to construct the international standard golf course? Do the provincial government have the capability, financially and technically, to pursue such project?

For development planners, we are aware that golf courses are environmentally- critical projects especially if they are located near the foreshore. The cost of maintenance is enormous considering the presence of sand that when strong winds occur, they will cover up the whole golf course area.
We must be reminded of the existing golf course area in the Bonuan, Dagupan City. That golf course is not fully operational. Albeit, they could not maintain it because of sand storm and lack of water supply. Could we afford to have another golf course of that kind in the province? If indeed, the project will push through and be completed who will play in that golf course? Do not tell me that more tourists will be coming in here in Pangasinan just to play golf. There are more golf courses of international standard in the country and besides golf is a game for the rich and famous.

Personally, I am not against development projects of such magnitude but it has to be studied well. I have high respect and regards to Manong Raffy (Baraan) since I have worked with him in the past on some development planning. But this one I think, the golf course or aqua city needs thorough study. Going back to the black sand issue, it is more of environmental concerns than that of politics. The residents who are protesting have the right to air their grievances. They have the right also to approach politicians who they think can help them on their cause. What’s wrong with that? Politicians in the first place must be on the frontline to protect the interests of the people.

Well, lately the Enviromental Management Bureau (EMB) of DENR Region I through Regional Director Joel Salvador has already issued a cease and desist order to Xypher Builders dated January 26 and to Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. dated January 30. They were required to explain within 15 days why they should not be liable in their actions regarding the black sand mining and requiring them to secure environmental compliance certificates (ECC).

We have laws regarding the protection of environment. While maybe at most we are eager to implement projects and programs, we are guided by laws and we have to comply. Let’s watch what will happen next on the issue of “black sand mining”.

(For comments, email me at emperorvirgil@yahoo.com)