Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig
Alcalde St. Kapasigan Pasig City
Marcopper Mining Corporation
Name: Christine Ivy J. Delos Santos
Course & Section: BSBA MM 2C
II. Background Facts About the case
Marcopper Mining Corp, was managed and controlled by Placer Dom., Inc. the fifth largest mining company in the
world. In 1969, the Marcopper Mining Corporation began mining operations on Marinduque Island. The company is
co-owned and managed by Placer Dome. The Mt. Tapian site was the first mining location on the island. Here, open
pit mining was used to produce copper concentrate. Until 1972, Marcopper disposed of its waste on land. This
changed in 1975 when a blanket permit was given to Marcopper, which allowed them to dump mine tailings into
the Calancan Bay at the rate of 2.5 tons per second. The problem began when Marcopper disposed of its waste on
land, dumping its mine tailings in the abandoned Tapian pit. While the company plugged leaks in the pit, the pit
ultimately collapsed, causing one of the largest mining disasters in the Philippines. With regard to the company's
business activity, they have been involved invarious negative issues. Their improper waste disposal caused severe
damage and tragedy to the environment and to the local residents. The rivers were contaminated, homes were
destroyed lives were lost, the residents had health problems, all just because of the company's negligence.
The release of toxic mine waste resulted in environmental issues and health concerns for the people of
Marinduque, specially those who live along Boac River.Marcopper case is an issue on environment and public
health wherein the general public is always the underdog. The case presented a clear existence of violation yet
after decades was not yet resolved nor given priority on how to avoid such incident in the future.
Despite these negatives effects the company provides job and hugely contributed to the development of
infrastructure , Marcopper employs about 1,000 people, mostly from the island. The corporation also provides $30
million a year for local goods and services, as well as the electricity for the province. Marcopper is the largest
employer on the island of Marinduque and created most of the infrastructure on island The company also makes
up most of Marinduque's revenue. The mines produce 20% of the country's copper supply. A guided tour around
the mine site can be taken. The site has facilities like swimming pools, bowling lanes, basketball, tennis courts and
an 18-hole golf course (Travel, description, information & facts of the Philippines). After the spill, Marcopper took
no responsibility and did not participate in clean-up efforts.
III. Business Ethics/ Good Governance/Social Responsibilities Issues
• REPUBLIC ACT 9275 PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER ACT OF 2004
The law aims to protect the country's water bodies from pollution from land-based sources (industries and
commercial establishments, agriculture and community/household activities).
• REPUBLIC ACT 6969 TOXIC SUBSTANCES, HAZARDOUS AND NUCLEAR WASTE CONTROL ACT OF 1990
law aims to regulate restrict or prohibit the importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use and
disposal of chemical substances and mixtures the present unreasonable risk to human health
• Philippine Mining Act of 1995: A curse to the environment and communities
As a law liberalizing the mining industry, the Mining Act was hailed to boost the country’s economic growth
• Article 2, Section 11 of the Constitution provides that “the State values the dignity of every human person
and guarantees full respect for human rights.”
Nature is the best gift that God has given to us. But still this Marcopper Mining company destroyed it. And it
leads to a negative effects of the human health. Mining in the area has polluted the waterways, killed fish,
and flooded agricultural fields. The people are being poisoned by the water, because of the polluted water
the residents ending up having a skin disease.Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless
of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Marinduque has tried to get their
voices heard, but their claims against Marcopper are largely ignored. Because even the government did not
listen to them, clearly because of the money. Marinduqueños sent out numerous petitions and resolution to
stop the mine because of the waste pollution along with increased flooding. Despite the protest, Marcopper
went ahead and continue their operation. The struggles between development and the environment is
apparent here. After all of this happen the government did not make an effort to compensate them with their
sins. This is the laws that is unfollowed by marcopper company that has caused both health and
environmental problems.
IV. Evaluation of the Issue
For over 30 years, the Marcopper Mining Corporation has been operating on Marinduque Island in the
Philippines. The mine operations they have caused innumerable troubles; serious health and environmental
problems have placed the community at risk. The island of Marinduque is a very poor area and relies heavily
on agriculture and fishing. The supply of water is shrinking and contaminated. People were being poisoned
indirectly through the fish and water, but also, workers were dying from direct contact with the mining
operations villagers started noticing waste flowing into the river as well as the appearance of large quantities
of dead fish. There are workers who died due to lung cancer. Doctors reported it was caused by the "red dust"
he encountered at work everyday. Siltation from the waste dump started building up in the Mogpog River
increased the severity of flooding in the rainy season. One village was buried in six feet of muddy floodwater,
displacing 400 families. Cows, pigs and sheep including pets were poisoned and died. Crops were destroyed
and the surrounding communities was declared unsafe. Seasonal rains in 1993 caused intense flooding and
the dam collapsed altogether. Toxic silt and water flowed down the river and into the town, destroying homes
and rice fields, and also killing animals. Even if the Marcopper give a large amount of employment in
Marinduque still this island remains one of the poorest parts of the country.And until now, the affected
people in Marinduque did not receive any compensation even just a cent in Marcopper Mining Corporation.
V. Alternative Courses of action
Strength Weaknesses
Opportunities Marcopper are earning a higher • Marcopper Mining did not take
profit. So it means that the immediate action due to lack of
government are earning a lot of finances and did not participate in
taxes, the taxes can help the the damage clean-up caused by
government to build their mining activity. Because of
infrastructure that can help the the disaster they are now
Marinduqueños to earn money entering bankruptcy. This will be a
and support their families. great opportunity to the other
businesses to operate their
companies, and can give more
jobs to the people without having
their life at risk.
Threats • Marcopper is a big producer • Their mining operations caused
of copper in the Philippines. serious health and environmental
And has created most of the problems to the community at
infrastructure in Marinduque. risk. Marcopper's mining activity
Even though they gave a lot of has polluted waterways, killed
job and opportunities, to the fish, and flooded agricultural
Marinduqueños still they are fields. People were being
known as a corporation Who poisoned indirectly, workers were
gives a big disaster to the dying from direct contact with the
Philippines. mining operations. The people
around their mining site can
protest and complain about their
activity. This can give a huge
impact to the company's profit.
Internal External
Political • The company should consider • The government failed to
the operating laws of the country. monitor the conditon of the
people around the company.
•
Economic • Marcopper is the lagest • The mining operation have cause
employer in Marindque. a lot of serious health damage and
environmental problems. That can
• They are the largest distributor
decrease the number of worker in
of copper in the Philippines. That
Marinduque.
can help the government by
giving a large amount of taxes.
Socio-cultural • the people in Marinduque
usually relies on agriculture and
fishing.
Technological • unstable power and water • Outdated technologies
supply that can affect the
operation of mining.
• Slow and Outdated
technologies
Environmental • Because of the spill, the supply • The people in Marinduque
of water is shrinking and usually relies on agriculture and
contaminated. People were being fishing.
poisoned indirectly through the
fish and wate
• They should be a environmental
friendly company
Legal • Human rights abuses • The Department on Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR)
gave Marcopper an environmental
compliance certificate. allowing
them to operate for 10 years,
using the Tapian pit as a tailings
dam
VI. Evaluation of the alternatives
• The government should do a rehabilitation of the facilities in Marinduque. There should be a clear plan for
the province to get up again, We can restore the damages to attract more tourist and focus on agriculture
make our Marinduque beautiful.
• The government can also build an educational institutions that could develop on Marinduque that can
provide a hands on learning and training on both technical research fields about mining and environmental
issues.
VII. Recommendation
Marcopper Mining Corporation create a big disaster not only in Marinduque but also in the Philippines. This
caused a lot of problem and leave a large mark, Many people suffered from some illness and disease animals
and environment is dying. There is no solution to erase all the things happened but there is a ways to prevent
it.
The mining-environmental impacts on some parts of Marinduque have been substantial and pose significant long-
term challenges for remediation, I suggest that the island residents, government officials, and educational
institutions could develop on Marinduque a center of educational excellence for understanding, assessing,
predicting, and cleaning up the environmental impacts of mining. If it will be established on the island, could
oversee and coordinate assessment and remediation activities. At the same time, it could provide hands-on
learning and training opportunities in both technical and research fields about mining and environmental issues.
Expertise learned on Marinduque could then be transferred to other places with similar large-scale mining-
environmental problems. The center could not only provide education and employment opportunities for local
residents, but also attract a large number of students, teachers, and others to the island. Marinduque provides a
unique and logical physical setting for such a center of excellence because a river system, and marine environments
are in close proximity for easy study. The island’s proximity to Manila facilitates collaboration with Philippine
government agencies and universities. Collaborative arrangements could also be developed with universities
elsewhere in the world that have established mining-environmental programs, but that may lack ready access to
field study areas in, tropical setting.
VIII. Action plan
Proposal Objective
Long term •Promote the • they can learn a lot of things in
development of Mining managing their companies and making
companies. sure that they are following the laws
properly. They can also learn on how to
consider the possible effect in terms of
health of the people around their
company.
Short term • Learning their Rights • Achieving the justice for the affected
people at Marcopper disaster.
- They must have a knowledge about
human rights and other laws to know
how to fight for your rights properly and
also for you to not easily take advantage
by the other people. So that you can get
the right justice that you are fighting for.
• The government should • the government must have a law that
not be biased protect our nature and environment. They
need to be strict in approving and
monitoring mining companies and other
related companies that can cause damage
to our nature. You should close the illegal
and unregulated mines.
Long term • Building and • With rehabilitating the Marinduque area
rehabilitation of the they can attract more tourist to help them
affected area in in their everyday lifes.
Marinduque
