GINA LOPEZ INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Environment Secretary Regina Lopez on Thursday called out the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) for allegedly twisting poverty data for their selfish ends.
Lopez was referring to COMP’s statement earlier this month claiming that there was no mining activity in the 10 poorest provinces in the country as listed by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Mining contributes to massive siltation of our rivers, poisons our waterways and agricultural fields, causing loss of livelihood,” Lopez told the Inquirer.
“People from areas that host mining operations come to the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) everyday in droves, bewailing their suffering and you tell me mining does not cause suffering?” she added.
“Some people may twist the truth to serve their own ends, but the fact remains: mining has not helped raise our people from the pits of poverty,” Lopez said./rga