“We are Filipinos”, and  it all begun in Homonhon Island, and it is mining that might stamp out our rich and famous historical heritage. Indonesian fishers opposed to dredging project hit by ‘criminalization’ bid, Life as an Amazon activist: ‘I don’t want to be the next Dorothy Stang’, In Philippines’ Palawan, top cop linked to assault on environmental officer, Deaths, arrests and protests as Philippines re-emerges from lockdown, Why I stand for my tribe’s forest: It gives us food, culture, and life (commentary), Reforesting a village in Indonesia, one batch of gourmet beans at a time, Restoring Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem, one small farm at a time, Indigenous Iban community defends rainforests, but awaits lands rights recognition, World’s protected areas lack connections, recent study finds, Failure in conservation projects: Everyone experiences it, few record it, On a wing and a prayer? Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS! Be coherent. (SunStar Philippines). The disagreement escalated in 2019, when Cambayas president Yan Ming brought 50 police personnel into the community to implement a court order and threatened to take over the site. Basically, it is a fishing and farming community. FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post. Do not use obscenity. It is exceptionally blessed with the abundance of natural resources, beautiful sceneries, white beaches, rare and first class timber woods such as the Magkono tree which is named ‘steel tree’ due to its extraordinary hardness etc,. The presence of mining companies in the island has also been a cause of divisions in the communities of the island. is well known among nearby places for its big and violent waves and a very strong sea current being exposed directly to the. In 2016, Swiss mining firm Solway Investment Group joined with Techiron in its Homonhon Chromite Project; the venture operates two mining sites on the island. Copyright 2020 SunStar Publishing Inc. | All Rights Reserved. “The beauty of the islands will soon be gone if people will not oppose mining and the destruction of the environment,” said Yolanda Esguerra, national coordinator of Philippine-Misereor Partneship Inc (PMPI). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Do not veer away from the discussion. We always rely our strength from your ardent support. hbspt.cta.load(5981609, 'ffe07749-0055-4a95-85b3-bce123fc330c', {}); Mongabay is a reader-supported conservation and environmental science news service. Some words have been banned. Once before, boasts a thick and lush forest, abundant water supply the whole year round, rich in wildlife of various species, plentiful aqua marine products along its reefs and shallow seas, and match with the caring, hospitable, in pleasant bonding and peace-loving members of the community. The community block was also supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which initially suspended the company’s export permit. Mongabay is a U.S.-based non-profit conservation and environmental science news platform. "We have also given our partner community legal advice in documenting and safekeeping of evidences for possible cases that we could file after this pandemic,” Reposar told SunStar Philippines.“It is very sad that they are doing this loading now that the courts are closed and travel is restricted,” said Reposar, who is also the vice mayor of Palo, Leyte.According to Reposar, Elac-Eastern Visayas is still studying the charges that could be filed to the mining companies and government offices or their officers who may have been remiss in their mandates or functions.“This Earth Day 2020, we are raising our voice to highlight the urgent need to protect Homonhon. China is the company’s major market, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). It serves as a room for the birth of a new country, “the Philippine Islands” then gives us a national identity. In his online petition, which already earned over 10,000 signatures as of Friday, April 24, Ofilan also appealed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other government officials “to give our island time and a chance to heal itself.”“There is an ongoing silent show of opposition or protest ongoing now in the village,” said Ofilan following the successful shipment of some 7,000 metric tons of chromite ore from mining company Techiron Resources Inc. in the island after the DENR on April 11 overturned its earlier decision to delay the loading activity.“We are very disappointed. But the plan was reportedly shelved after the company’s representative, Robert Gaspar, was linked to a series of money-laundering and fraud cases in Spain. HOMONHON ISLAND                                              A FIELD APPRAISAL. Danny Lagos, president of Save Isla Homonhon, which opposes any mining activity on the historic island, said the residents could not hold a protest rally due to the community quarantine imposed by the municipal government to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Residents of Homonhon, in the central Philippine archipelago of Visayas, had received reports in March that the MV VW Peace, a general cargo ship listed in Panama and with a crew of Chinese and Myanmar nationals, planned to dock at the island’s Cantilado Pier. Many of them have been fighting this cause for a long time already and it seems that nothing happens. Antarctic ice melt related to tropical weather shifts: Study, Forest degradation outpaces deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: Study, Could disruptions in meat supply relieve pressure on the Amazon? Alarmed by the drastic move of these mining firms/entities, pro-mining residents, some high profile local officials propelling for an abrupt mineral extraction in the Island, concerned residents with the support of the church, some LGU members and other alliances spearheaded by Homohon Environment Rescuers Organization – HERO, are taking all the necessary steps  and available means to stop and permanently close the Island from mining through passing several petitions, other valid and legal means such as seeking support and promotion of agriculture and aquaculture, reforestation, eco and historical tourism and official declaration from National Historical Commission making Homonhon Island as one of the most important landmark on Philippine history. But after series of mineral explorations, many things have changed and unluckily, it was never for the betterment of the people at stake nor for the future. The stringent measures came before the Eastern Visayas region, which includes Eastern Samar, reported its first cases of local transmissions of the coronavirus on April 7. To date, aside from those which have already established their claims, applicants for small scale mining paraded to get their slice of pie in Homonhon and eventually overturn the remaining forest covers, the farms and farmlands and watersheds into hollow graves. As the Amazon burns, what happens to its biodiversity? The entire province of Eastern Samar is covered by a 2005 provincial ordinance that prohibits large-scale mining activity following a series of open-pit mining operations in the early 2000s that left the islands of Homonhon and Manicani polluted. Nakaka-flatten talaga ng bundok,” added the priest.He illustrated the extent of the environmental damage in the 20-kilometer-long island as nickel, chromite, and other minerals are being extracted for many years.“As for my safety, dati natatakot talaga ako nung umpisa palang pumutok yung issue.

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