Groups square off on mining Friday

Mining supporters and critics are expected to square off Friday in a forum organized by the country’s biggest business organizations amid fresh doubts over the viability of the local industry aggravated by the government’s seemingly uncertain policy stance toward it.

In an interview with the Inquirer, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry acting president Eduardo Lacson said the event was meant to provide both camps with a venue to air their views to the public in an “unemotional” context.

“What we want to happen is for both pro- and anti-mining groups to present their arguments to the public in a formal setting and we’ll let the public decide which one they’ll believe,” he said.

The PCCI official said in jest that he expected either “fireworks” or “fistfights” at the forum that would be held at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City Friday afternoon. Apart from the PCCI, the forum is also being co-sponsored by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines.

Lacson said the debate over the benefits and drawbacks of the mining industry has, so far, been skewed in favor of the side that spoke with the most emotional voice or those who have protested on the streets, referring to the anti-mining camps.

Through the structured forum – which is expected to include a debate among major stakeholders from both camps – a clear, balanced and accurate picture of issues surrounding the industry can be presented to the public, he explained.

Expected to speak on behalf of anti-mining groups are environmentalists Gina Lopez and Christian Monsod, while those who will speak on behalf of the mining industry are Chamber of Mines president Philip Romualdez, Nickel Asia Corp. president Gerry Brimo and Philex Mining Corp. chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

The acting PCCI chief said that the business groups, which organized the forum, were hoping that it would provide policymakers with enough inputs to formulate a coherent national policy on mining.

“What the business community wants to see after this is a consistent government mining policy that leaves no uncertainties for investors about the changing of rules,” Lacson said. “We need consistency in policies if this industry is to move forward.”—Daxim L. Lucas