STD TOOLKIT

PHILIPPINES
CASE STUDIES
MARINDUQUE & MINDORO

The Successful Struggle against STD in

Marinduque
Marinduque is a small island province 160 km south of Manila. The people of Marinduque fought a successful battle to
keep tailings that were spilled into a river in a 1996 mine disaster from being piped into the sea through Submarine
Tailings Disposal (STD). For Marinduqueños, this struggle to protect their sea was the latest in a long history of struggles
against Placer Dome.

Brief Corporate • Placer Dome guaranteed the

Background: Placer loans for two successive
Dome Inc. and Marcopper copper mines on the
Marcopper Mining island.
Corporation
• Placer Dome provided the tech-
Placer Dome Inc. is based in nical expertise for the two mines.
Photo: Catherine Coumans

Vancouver, British Columbia

and is the third largest gold • Placer Dome was the only min-
mining company in North ing company invested in
America and fifth largest in the Marcopper from 1969-1994.
world. Placer Dome is Placer Dome’s secret partner was
involved in 15 mines in six Ferdinand Marco (50%) until
Placer Dome’s Marcopper mine in Marinduque in 1989.
countries on five continents. As 1986, when he was overthrown.
early as 1956, Placer Dome, After 1986, Marcos’ shares were
then Placer Development Limited, began exploration, geo- taken over and held by successive Philippine governments
logical mapping and drilling on Marinduque. Marcopper until 1994, when they were privatized.
Mining Corporation became involved in 1964.
• Placer Dome divested in 1997.
Placer Dome’s involvement with Marcopper was long stand-
ing and core to decision-making at the mines. A 30-year History of Mining Disasters
and Social Opposition
• Since mining by Marcopper began in Marinduque in
In 30 years of mining under Placer Dome’s management,
1969, Placer Dome has owned 39.9% of the shares in
Marinduqueños endured one mining-related environmental
Marcopper, the maximum amount of shares that could,
disaster after another. For 16 years, from 1975 to 1991,
until recently, be legally held by a foreign company in the
Placer Dome oversaw the dumping of 200 million tons of
Philippines.
mine waste (tailings) directly into the shallow waters of
• Placer Dome managed the two Marcopper mines on the Calancan Bay, covering corals and seagrasses and the bottom
island. All Presidents and Resident Managers of of the bay with 80 square kilometers of tailings. The food
Marcopper, from 1969 until 1997, came from Placer security for the 12 fishing villages around the bay has been
Dome. This arrangement was established in agreements severely impacted for more than 25 years. These tailings are
Placer Dome had with the banks. “Placer undertook the also leaching metals into the bay and are suspected to be the
responsibility for open pit planning, design and con- cause of lead contamination found in children from villages
struction . . .”1 around the bay. Calancan Bay villagers, who protested the
dumping for 16 years, were never asked permission and
never compensated for losses. Dumping was not halted until
the mine was depleted.

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STD TOOLKIT

In 1991, an earthen dam was built in the mountainous headwa- mitments by Placer Dome: The residents of Marinduque who
ters of the Mogpog River to keep silt from a waste dump for the have suffered personal inconvenience or damage to their property
mine out of the Mogpog River. The people of the town of as a result of the Marcopper event will be quickly and fairly com-
Mogpog actively opposed the building of the dam, fearing pensated. . . . Placer Dome recognizes its responsibility to reha-
impacts on the river they use for food, watering animals, wash- bilitate all areas impacted by the tailings flow . . . This program
ing themselves and their clothes. In 1993, the dam burst, flood- will include: 1) the rehabilitation of the river system; 2) the reme-
ing downstream villages and the town of Mogpog so severely diation of off-river impacts; 6) the development and undertaking
that houses were swept away, water buffaloes and other live- of a program of river and ocean rehabilitation.” Placer Dome pre-
stock killed and crops destroyed. dicted the clean-up would be complete within six months of the
spill. A wholly-owned subsidiary called Placer Dome Technical
Marcopper’s Resident Manager, Placer Dome’s Steve Reid, Services Ltd. was set up with offices in Manila and Marinduque
denied any responsibility blaming an unusual rainfall. However, to manage the clean-up and compensation arrangements.
when the dam was rebuilt an overflow was added for the first
time, in an implicit acknowledgement of faulty engineering. Placer Dome dredged a wide channel at the ocean mouth of the
Within two years the toxic waste behind the dam was so high Boac River to catch tailings flowing down from the river into
again that it flowed freely through the overflow into the river and the ocean. Large areas of coral coast had already been covered
it continues to do so today. As a result, a species of crab (called in tailings3 and continued to be impacted by new tailings coming
Bagtuk) that people used to eat has completely disappeared. from the river, even after the channel was dug, because the
According to a letter of August 23, 2001, by Vancouver-based channel was full of tailings within months.
engineering firm Klohn Crippen, “failure of the dam is a virtual
certainty in the near term under current conditions.” Failure of the By August 1996, with the growing realization that the river
dam will result in “significant downstream property damage” and clean-up was not going to be done in six months or even a year,
“the potential for loss of life,” said Crippen. Placer Dome announced that the company planned to divest
from Marcopper, but would continue to take responsibility for
the ongoing clean-up of the river.
The Boac River Tailings Spill Disaster of 1996
On March 24, 1996, another massive tailings spill at the The commitments made by Placer Dome’s CEO to the Office of the
Marcopper Mine filled the Boac River with 3-4 million tons of Philippine President were ultimately reflected in legal agreements
metal enriched and acid generating tailings. The spill happened Placer Dome entered into with Marcopper, on February 28, 1997, a
when a badly sealed drainage tunnel in an old mine pit burst. month before Placer Dome divested. These agreements are known
The mined-out pit, high in the central mountains of Marinduque, as the Environmental Reclamation Agreement (ERA), the Tunnel
had been used as a storage place for tailings from an adjacent and River Contract, and the Makulapnit Siltation Dam Agreement
mine since 1992. An investigative team from the United (MSDA). In entering into these agreements with Marcopper, Placer
Nations, which visited the island shortly after the tailings spill, Dome stated its wish to “maintain its reputation for responsible
noticed unrelated leaks in other mine structures and concluded, environmental management and to maintain its ability to generate
“It is evident that environmental management was not a high income from operations in the Philippines.”4 Placer Dome also rec-
priority for Marcopper.” The UN team also noted that had prop- ognized the “near insolvent” state of Marcopper,5 and referred to
er risk assessment’s been done on the pit “it is possible . . . the the “technical capabilities and international expertise of PDI”6 with
present environmental disaster would not have occured”2 respect to the work that needed to be done.

In March of 1997, one year after the spill, Placer Dome divested
Placer Promises Clean Up but Divests from
from Marcopper. During the rallies on the first anniversary of
Marcopper
the spill, the people in Marinduque summarized their feelings
The disastrous Boac River spill finally focused global attention about the divestment by saying: “First Placer dumped its waste,
on mining-related environmental problems in Marinduque. then its shares and now its responsibility.”
International scrutiny by organizations such as the United
Nations put enormous pressure on Placer Dome, as did the
Placer Dome Decides on Submarine Tailings
immediate criminal indictment in the Philippines of Placer
Disposal to “Clean Up” Spilled Tailings
Dome’s John Loney and Steve Reid (President and Resident
Manager of Marcopper, respectively). The case is still pending. In 1997, Placer Dome stated it would clean up the river by
dumping the tailings into the sea using Submarine Tailings
Weeks after the disaster, as tailings continued to spew forth from Disposal (STD). There was not yet much awareness among the
the damaged tunnel, then-CEO of Placer Dome, John Willson, people of Marinduque about this technology, but it was opposed
made a written commitment to then-President of the Philippines, by a core of local people who were concerned about the poten-
Fidel Ramos, stating that “I have authorized the following com- tial impacts on the sea.

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 CASE STUDY: MARINDUQUE

On October 30, 1997, the Philippine Department of Placer Dome presented him as an academic and as an independ-
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) turned down ent advisor.7 Officials from the DENR were not aware that he
Placer Dome’s first permit application to use STD. In his denial was also a long time member of a consulting firm that had spe-
of the permit, then-Secretary of the DENR, Victor Ramos, noted cialized in STD since the 1970s and promoted the technology
that “under current laws and regulations, all the offshore and around the world. On the island, Placer Dome instituted village
submarine areas of the country are considered to be assistance programs. Survey forms were handed out and peo-
Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA). . . . Hence, your applica- ple’s opinions of STD were polled. They were then asked to pro-
tion for the submarine placement of redredged channel tailings vide the reasons for their disapproval of STD.8 Placer Dome also
materials is hereby denied.” brought in a consultant who met with villagers in Marinduque
and told them that STD was a “proven technology,” was “widely
The department was concerned that rich fishing grounds in the practiced” and “acceptable in Canada and practiced there.” 9
nearby Tablas Strait would be severely harmed. The Secretary (See: Canadian Legislation on Submarine Tailings Disposal
wrote, “[w]e would prefer a land-based option . . .” Boac’s mayor STD Effectively Banned in Canada Since 1977)
Madla welcomed this decision and in a letter of December 1,
1997, to Secretary Ramos wrote: “On behalf of the people of the
The Opposition in Marinduque
Municipality of Boac we are extending our sincerest gratitude for
heeding our call to save Tablas Strait by not allowing [the compa- During the 1970s, while tailings were dumped into Calancan
ny] to dump their contaminated mine tailings into the said Strait.” Bay, surrounding fishing villages were primarily aided in their
attempts to stop the dumping by Franco Preclaro, an engineer
Placer Dome did not accept the ruling but appealed it. On March from the nearby town and a Catholic nun from Manila, Sr. Aida
23, 1998, the company won the right to prepare an Velasquez. Dumping was highlighted in the Manila media and
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that could include the that put pressure on regulatory authorities who eventually issued
STD option, but as DENR Secretary Ramos added, “[w]e a “cease and desist order,” which was overturned in 1981 by
strongly suggest however that alternative land-based disposal President Ferdinand Marcos.
options of spilled tailings and a full rehabilitation proposal be
made a major part of the study.” Placer Dome hired Woodward- In 1981, Marinduque became a diocese and received its first
Clyde (Philippines) as their main consultants and set out to pre- Bishop, Raphael Lim. Since then the local Roman Catholic
pare an EIA for STD. Church has been the primary and most consistent local organi-
zation supporting all villagers affected by mining on the island
The offensive to influence government opinion and to win the through its Social Action Center. Sr. Aida Velasquez was
“hearts and minds” of the people of Marinduque now also went instrumental in attracting international attention for the plight
into full force. Derek Ellis of the consulting firm Rescan of the Calancan Bay fishing villages, which led, in the 1980s,
Environmental Services Ltd. was brought in from Vancouver to to meetings in Canada between Placer Dome executives and
give presentations for the officials at the DENR on STD. NGOs. During the 1980s, there was shareholder action against
Placer Dome in Canada on this issue. Legal action by the vil-
lagers led, in 1988, to another “cease and desist” order against
the dumping. But again, the Office of the President overturned
the order.

Protest against the mine was localized between 1975-1991

around the bay and the villagers there. Once the dumping into
Calancan Bay stopped in 1991, much of the international focus
on the mining-related environmental problems in Marinduque
also faded, even though the bay was never rehabilitated and con-
tinued to affect livelihood and health.

The massive dam failure in Mogpog in 1993 and the ongoing

Photo: Catherine Coumans

environmental problems in the Mogpog River never received

much attention although some villagers and local politicians
tried to raise awareness about the environmental effects and Sr.
Aida Velasquez and the local Roman Catholic Church brought
this issue back to the awareness of Canadian NGOs in 1995.

Tailings from Placer Domes Marcopper mine in Marinduque entering Importantly, opposition to the mine was never supported by
the sea at Calancan Bay. elected officials or town elite in Marinduque, with rare excep-

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STD TOOLKIT

tions such as Franco Preclaro. Town residents wanted to keep

Photo: Catherine Coumans

the electricity the mine generated and sold locally. Many elected
officials either benefited directly, through contracts, or believed
the mine necessary for employment on this small island where
employment is still largely based on fishing and farming.

With the massive tailings spill into the Boac River in 1996,
opposition took on a new form. Villagers from Calancan Bay,
Mogpog and Boac joined in solidarity with elected officials,
local mayors (with the exception of the mayor in whose town
the mine is located), provincial board members and eventually a
new Congressman, elected in 1999, to take a stand against the
clean up plans of Placer Dome.

Opposition locally was primarily led by the Roman Catholic

Church through its umbrella organization, the Marinduque
Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC). Its members Activists from Marinduque and their supporters from LRC having
dinner after a congressional inquiry against Placer Dome.
included other local NGOs, villagers and elected officials. The
local chapter of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
(PRRM) also became an active supporter of mining affected vil- The Search for Independent Expert Advice
lagers after the spill and a member of MACEC. The people of Marinduque decided to take matters into their
own hands after Placer Dome’s refusal to abide by Secretary
This broad coalition was very effective in the years after the Cerilles’ order for a river clean-up. They hired independent con-
spill in making their voice heard in Manila through petitions, sultants to provide them with a sound scientific basis for various
resolutions, demonstrations and yearly commemorative events clean-up options. This demand had in fact been incorporated in
on the anniversary of the spill. This coalition also took a firm DENR-Secretary Cerilles’ February 16, 1999 letter. Cerilles
stand against STD. They were conscious of the fact that deep ordered the “[h]iring of independent technical consultants by the
sea disposal of mine waste was not yet an accepted practice in provincial government to be funded by PDTS.”13
the Philippines. They also knew that many other mining compa-
nies were interested in using STD in the country. They saw their The DENR offered the people of Marinduque the services of
struggle as not only aimed at protecting their own coastal waters two “independent” consultants: Stuart Jones and David Gwyther.
but also to avoid setting a precedent for STD in the Philippines. The DENR praised the credentials of these two men but left out
the fact that these mining industry consultants were well-known
Placer Dome’s Second Application for STD is advocates of STD. The consultants had been working for two of
turned down the major consulting firms promoting STD, NSR Consultants
Woodward Clyde completed the EIA studies and Placer again and Dames and Moore.14 Marinduqueños however, rejected the
applied for a permit for STD. On February 16, 1999, Placer two consultants.
Dome’s second request for an STD permit was turned down by On May 25, 1999, a Congressional Inquiry was called by the
then-DENR Secretary Antonio Cerilles, on the basis of “absence Committee on Ecology to review complaints by Marinduqueños
of social acceptability as evidenced by the consistent opposition over the continued delay in the clean-up of the river. This
from directly affected stakeholders of Marinduque . . .”10 Cerilles inquiry investigated evidence of increasing toxicity and health
ordered that a final river clean-up and rehabilitation program be concerns of villagers near the river, delays in compensation pay-
submitted “within 30 days for immediate implementation by ments, and Placer Dome’s continued insistence on STD as a
PDTS [Placer Dome Technical Services].”11 clean-up option. The people of Marinduque reiterated their
Placer Dome did not accept the ruling and instead halted all fur- opposition to STD and demands for an independent assessment
ther work on the river. Instead, the company focused on a cam- by a team of scientists of their choosing. After the inquiry,
paign to prove the social acceptability of STD through an Congressman Edmund Reyes of Marinduque traveled to the
“Information Education Program” and by seeking endorsements United States in search of a team of scientists to come to
from individual villages. Placer Dome eventually claimed vari- Marinduque to review potential clean-up options for the tailings
ous local groups were in support of STD, such as the in the river. He met with NGOs, university departments, and
“Marinduque Incurable Scuba Diving Addict Club, Inc.,” which members of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) who
has never been heard of locally.12 expressed an interest.

4
 CASE STUDY: MARINDUQUE

Placer Dome managed to convince the DENR to strike its own remediation.”17 With respect to STD, the USGS warned that,
“independent review committee” to review Placer Dome’s STD “there is considerable potential that a highly acidic, metal-
plans. This committee became extremely controversial. The enriched, and environmentally detrimental plume would develop
investigations of the most qualified person on the committee, its in the ocean around the tailings discharge point during tailings
Chair, Dr. Zenaida Batac-Catalan whose specialization is Aquatic disposal . . .”18 Following the findings of the USGS report, the
Ecology and Pollution, led her to conclude that STD was not an DENR assured Marinduqueños that STD would no longer be con-
acceptable option based on Placer’s own studies. There was con- sidered an option for disposal of the tailings in the Boac River.
siderable tension over her position on the committee.15
In spring of 2001, Placer Dome appeared to accept this ruling,
On February 16, 2000, there was a meeting of the review com- although the company continued to promote through media that
mittee for which Dr. Batac-Catalan had called in sick. During this STD was the best clean-up solution. Placer Dome started prepar-
meeting the decision was made to approve Placer Dome’s STD ing a plan to return the tailings to the open mine pit.19
plans. Two other members of the committee never signed off on Marinduqueños, however, requested that the USGS conduct a
this decision. Dr. Batac-Catalan resigned from the review com- thorough scientific review of all clean-up options before any
mittee and wrote a letter to DENR Secretary Cerilles expressing action be taken. On February 19, 2001 the Provincial Board
her disappointment with the fact that a vote was taken in her passed a resolution endorsing the USGS as their “qualified third
absence. She argued that Placer Dome had not been able to suffi- party technical review consultants.”
ciently show that STD would not cause environmental harm and
that tailings management, once the tailings had been placed into Last Minute Back Room Deals
the ocean, would be impossible if anything went wrong. She also President Joseph Estrada increasingly came under attack for cor-
noted the need to protect the food web at the bottom of the ocean ruption and by the end of the year people were rallying in the
and expressed concern for health effects from metal leaching on streets in what was called People Power II after the peaceful rev-
Marinduqueños who rely on seafood. olution that ousted then-dictator Marcos in 1986. In the very last
The DENR never formally released the brief review committee days of the regime, DENR Secretary Cerilles signed about 200
decision. DENR officials agreed to await the review of the Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC). One of these,
USGS before making a final decision on the issue of STD. dated January 18, 2001, barely a day before the regime fell, was
an ECC for Placer Dome Technical Services permitting Placer
Dome to implement STD to clean up the Boac River tailings.
The United States Geological Survey
Provides Independent Advice The Officer-in-Charge of the new administration cancelled all
On March 14, 2000, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was these so-called “midnight deals.” Marinduqueños became aware
struck between the DENR and the Provincial Government of that an ECC for STD had been signed but were not overly con-
Marinduque. This MOA requires the People of Marinduque, cerned that this ECC held any validity. Nonetheless, on October
through the Provincial Governor, in consultation with the 3, 2001, a delegation of elected officials from Marinduque met
Provincial Board, to select a consultant to conduct an independ- in Manila with PDTS president Ian Lewis to discuss their dissat-
ent review and recommend a final remediation plan for the river. isfaction with the long delayed compensation payments and with
Placer Dome stated they would not pay for independent advisors the lack of transparency about engineering studies by Klohn
chosen by the people.16 Crippen, which Placer Dome had commissioned to assess all
dams and structures at the mine site.20
In May 2000, an independent USGS-led team spent a week in
Marinduque and inspected all mining-related environmentally At this meeting, Lewis informed the delegation that the
damaged areas. They reviewed all reports made available to Environmental Compliance Certificate for STD had been “hand
them and consulted widely with the people of Marinduque. In delivered” to Placer Dome in August and that Placer Dome con-
fall of 2000, the USGS released its report concerning sidered it valid. Ian Lewis also referred to the DENR “Review
Marinduque’s mining-related impacts. The USGS report strong- Committee” report never released by the DENR, as evidence
ly recommends a “systems approach” to remediation on the that an independent assessment had approved the STD option.
island, insisting that the Boac River remediation cannot be sepa- Lewis admitted that the new DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez
rated from the need for island-wide remediation. had “suspended” the ECC.

The USGS report documents large mounds of tailings left in the

Placer Dome Pulls Out of Philippines and
river and in the catchment area where the river enters the sea. The
Leaves Clean-Up to Marcopper
report states that these tailings “will be a long-term source of acid
and metals into the environment, and are therefore in need of On October 9, 2001, a Congressional Inquiry was held to review
Placer Dome’s plans for the clean-up of the river, delays in com-

5
STD TOOLKIT

pensation, and the need for greater transparency around studies been considering as an alternative disposal site when STD no
by Placer Dome. On the evening before the Congressional longer seemed an acceptable option.
Inquiry a letter dated August 23, 2001 from Placer Dome’s con-
sultant Klohn Crippen was leaked. The letter highlights conclu- On October 11, 2001, the DENR ordered Placer Dome, its sub-
sions from Klohn Crippen’s June 14, 2001 report that five struc- sidiary PDTS, and Marcopper to immediately fix the dangerous
tures at the mine site need urgent repairs and that two structures dams and structures or face criminal action should a disaster
(the dam at the top of the Mogpog River and the pit containing occur. In December 2001, without warning or consultation,
mine waste), are in such bad shape that “failure is a near certain- PDTS closed its office in Marinduque and its office in Manila
ty in the near term under current conditions.” and pulled out of the Philippines leaving behind toxic mine tail-
ings in the Boac River, the threat of five dangerously unstable
The Klohn Crippen letter refers twice to potential for “loss of mine structures, and the incomplete compensation of
life” downstream as a result of collapse of these two structures Marinduqueños affected by the 1996 spill.
and notes that collapse of the pit “would threaten the safety of
any mine personnel that might be in the vicinity when the failure Prepared by Catherine Coumans and Marinduque
occurred.” This is the same unstable pit that Placer Dome had Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC)

1 Philippine Mining Journal, October 1969:38. with Sheldon. November 1998. 12 Placer Dome Technical Services, March 1999. Restoring
2 UNEP, September 1996. Final Report of the United 9 Personal communication of Catherine Coumans with vil- the Boac River. pp. 19-20.
Nations Expert Assessment Mission to Marinduque lagers in Marinduque. November 1998. In response, 13 Cerilles, Antonio. February 16, 1999.
Island, Philippines. Pp’s 68-69. Catherine Coumans circulated a brief two page fact sheet 14 David Gwyther has since joined NSR Consultants.
3 UNEP, September 1996. Final Report of the United (December 1, 1998) that, among other things, explained
15 Personal communication with Catherine Coumans.
the laws in Canada effectively banning STD since 1975,
Nations Expert Assessment Mission to Marinduque December 1999 and January 2000.
the unpredicted consequences STD had had in Canada,
Island, Philippines. P. 70. 16 Personal Communication by Catherine Coumans with a
and the fact that the only mine using STD was one that
4 Makulapnit Siltation Dam Agreement, 1997.
had started before these laws went into effect and so was DENR official. April 2000.
5 Environmental Reclamation Agreement, 1997. allowed to continue. In response, the DENR hired NSR 17 http://geology.cr.usgs.gov/pub/open-file-reports/ofr-00-
6 Makulapnit Siltation Dam Agreement, 1997. Consultants to refute the fact sheet by Coumans and cir- 0397/ p.2.
7 Personal communication of Catherine Coumans with offi- culated a 12-page NSR document in Marinduque. The 18 Ibid.
cial in the DENR, November 1998. DENR followed up in April 2000 with another docu- 19 Jim Robertson, May 10, 2001. Personal Communication
8 In a personal communication with Catherine Coumans, ment, based on the NSR document, again refuting
with Catherine Coumans.
Coumans’s claims. Coumans responded in writing to
Christopher Sheldon, Manager Stakeholder Partnership, 20 Authors of this paper were present at this meeting.
each point made by the DENR on April 27, 2000 and
for Placer Pacific Asia PTE.Ltd, who was based in
distributed this document in Marinduque.
Manila and heading up the village assistance programs in 10 Cerilles, Antonio. February 16, 1999.
Marinduque, said that the poll was a mistake and had
11 Ibid.
been carried out by an employee without consultation

6
 CASE STUDY: MINDORO

The Successful Struggle Against STD in

Mindoro

On the Philippine island of Mindoro, a broad coalition of grassroots organizations, established institutions and some key elected
government officials came together to oppose a Nickel mine proposed by the Canadian mining company Crew Development
Corporation (Crew). Crew planned to use Submarine Tailings Disposal (STD) to dispose of its mine waste. Opposition to disposal of
mine waste into the fertile fishing grounds of Tablas Strait was a key factor in the struggle against the mine.

The coalition’s organizing paid off In November 1998, Aglubang

when, on January 28, 2002, the Mining Corporation (a subsidiary of
Provincial Board of Oriental Mindex) applied for a Mineral
Mindoro passed a 25-year Mining Production Sharing Agreement
Moratorium, proposed by ALAMIN (MPSA). In 1999, the original explo-
(one of the local non-governmental ration permit was renewed and Crew
Photo: Catherine Coumans

organizations) and endorsed by Development Corporation started a

Governor Bart Marasigan. In a land- merger with Mindex. In May of
mark decision, ten provincial board 1999, the broad-based protest
members voted in favour and three alliance ALAMIN was established.
against the moratorium.
In response to social opposition,
Over the years, numerous official Mindex/Crew engaged in tactics
Governor Marasigan of Mindoro speaking out at an
resolutions were passed against the anti-STD symposium on Oct 5, 2001 in Calapan, that enraged the local community
mine by elected government bodies Mindoro. and strengthened their resolve.
in Mindoro, which were submitted Among the tactics were direct and
to authorities at various levels. These include four resolutions indirect bribery, gathering thousands of signatures under false
against the mine from the provincial board, resolutions against pretenses and then presenting them as being from people in
the mine from the city council of the provincial capital of favour of the mine, forging key signatures, and setting up a
Calapan and from municipal councils of six municipalities of the local media bureau with the specific aim of promoting the pro-
province, as well as from the League of Municipal Mayors, the posed mine.2 3
League of Municipal Councilors, and the League of Barangay
(village) Chairmen.
Manipulation of Indigenous Mangyans
In 2001, the Mindoro Roman Catholic Diocesan Clergy, support- Father Edwin A. Gariguez, who works directly with Mangyan
ed by the Bishop of Mindoro, appealed to President Arroyo not people in Mindoro, provided documentation to Secretary
to allow the mine to proceed. There were people’s petitions, let- Howard Dee, Presidential Assistant on the Indigenous
ters of protest, and at least 25,000 signatures collected against the Peoples, on how opposition to the mine was circumvented.
mine, as well as large rallies and demonstrations (mobilizing The Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 provides
upwards of 50,000 Mindoreños) against the mine in the province. that a mining proponent has to undertake consultations with
affected indigenous communities to secure their free, prior
A History of Struggle and informed consent before any mining activity, including
In 1997, Mindex ASA began exploring for gold, sparking gov- exploration, may be conducted. Opposition to the project by
ernment opposition at all levels in Mindoro Oriental. The com- Mangyan communities was already well established by 1999.
pany had not received approval from local government units or The Alangans and Tadyawan, both of which have established
local affected communities and concerned sectors in the certificates of Ancestral Domain Claims overlapping the
province were protesting. Ignoring local protest, Mindex Mindex/Crew Concession area, had filed resolutions against
claimed in an August 1998 press release that “the local popula- the proposed mine. Nonetheless, exploration activity was
tion welcomes this project.”1 ongoing.

7
STD TOOLKIT

In order to comply with the IPRA provisions, Mindex sought the

certification of the National Commission on the Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP). The NCIP suggested that a new Mangyan organi-
zation be set up consisting only of tribal members from six villages
inside the concession area, even though the tribes these villagers
belong to extend outside the boundaries of the concession area.

This new tribal organization, called Kabilogan ng mga

Mangyan, was set up in May 1999 and consisted mainly of
Mindex employees, including the elected chairman. Kabilogan
was initiated by the NCIP, not by the Mangyan themselves, and
it represented only a small number of indigenous Mangyan
(about 50 families). Mindex arranged and held the election of
officers in the Mindex compound. On January 12, 1999 the
NCIP issued a Certification of Free and Informed Consent to
AMC Aglubang Mining Corporation (a Subsidiary of
Mindex/Crew) three months before Kabilogan issued a written
position on the proposed mine, on April 18, 1999.

Some members of Kabilogan explained that they were experi-

encing lengthy delays in the processing of their Certificate of
Ancestral Domain Claims (CADC) and that they were told by
the NCIP that these would be expedited if they formed a new
tribal organization. They complained that they had only formed
Kabilogan to expedite their land claims, not to support the
mine project.

They also admitted to receiving substantial “rewards” from the Crew’s paid advertisement in national and local newspapers.
(Manila Bulletin 10/03/01)
company including “monthly cash allowances, carabaos and
agricultural equipment.”4 Fr. Gariguez documented these
dolphins sightings are common. Sea turtles have also been seen
manipulations and they have been protested in letters by the
laying their eggs on the shore at Pili. The Pinamalayan munici-
Mindoro Diocesan Clergy Association to President Gloria
pality has a population of almost 74,000 people and is consid-
Macapagal Orroyo (September 18, 2001) and by Governor-
ered a provincial growth center. There are 931 registered fishing
Elect Bartolome L. Marasigan to Canadian Ambassador Robert
households, most of them residing along the coastline (average
Collette (June 25, 2001).
household size is 5.1).6
Submarine Tailings Disposal In addition to various fish species there are crabs, clams, lob-
A major source of concern for Mindoreños opposing the mine is sters, shrimps, squids, edible seaweeds, turtles, dolphins, octo-
the controversial proposal to dispose of mine waste, some estimat- pus, eel, stingrays and many other species.7 The yield of fish in
ed 4 million tons of waste per year, into the waters of Tablas Strait 1999 was 350 tonnes a year, sufficient to meet the town’s
using Submarine Tailings Disposal (STD). The system calls for a requirement.
pipeline to deposit the tailings 4 kilometers from the shoreline of
“I was born and raised here, and I’ve made a living from fish-
the village of Pili at a depth of 200 meters below sea level. The
ing since I was a young boy. Here we also fish deep-water
sea floor declines sharply in this area to about 600 meters.
fish, which is valuable to us. If they discharge millions of tons
Mindex names the Titania mine in the Joessing Fjord in Norway of waste a year, we are bound to lose our way of income,”
as a model example of STD. Bard Bergfall of the environmental says Juanito Palermo from Barangay Pili, a 75-year old resi-
advisory company Haaland, Berfall & Co points out that the dent of Pili.8
Titania mine was stopped from dumping mine waste into the
The proposed location of the Pressure Acid Leach processing
fjord in the early 1990s because of the environmental destruc-
plant and the STD system is also in an area that is known for its
tion it caused.5
pristine white beaches. The coastal villages of Pili, Ranzo and
Tablas Strait is rich fishing ground and the route for a species of Banilad all boast beautiful beaches and are a prime location for
migratory tuna known as Auxis thazzard. Reports of whales and the development of eco-tourism.

8
 CASE STUDY: MINDORO

Mindoreños became aware of the international controversy sur- Facts about the proposed mine at Mindoro
rounding STD and became concerned that while STD is effective- • The concession area consists of 9,720 hectares straddling the
ly banned in Canada, it was being proposed as a disposal option provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro on the Island of
for Mindoro. Mindoreños were also keenly aware of the struggle Mindoro. The concession area is divided into three sections
of their neighbors on the island of Marinduque to stop STD from and is in the municipality of Victoria, centered in the village
being used for mine waste disposal by another Canadian mining of Villa Cerveza, high in the central mountains of Mindoro.
company, Placer Dome, into the same waters of Tablas Strait.
• The concession area largely overlaps with land that falls under
A very important development in their struggle to protect their recognized Ancestral Domain Claims of the Indigenous
coast and coastal waters came when the a 1998 feasibility study Mangyan Peoples.
of the deposit, done by Kvaerner Metals inadvertently made its
way into the hands of Mindoreños. The Kvaerner report declared • One significant section of the concession, 2,291 hectares, is
the project to be among the cheapest in the world, but it also held by a Crew subsidiary, Aglubang. This section received a
identified a long list of environmental impacts and risks associ- Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) in December
ated with the project. Among these, Kvaerner identified the risk 2000, granting Crew the right to explore, develop and utilize
to marine resources from Submarine Tailings Disposal.9 any minerals in the contract area for a period of 25 years. This
MPSA was given in the midst of chaos related to the fall of the
Governor Marasigan refers to the Kvaerner report in a letter to Estrada Government through a People Power revolt. The
Canadian Ambassador Robert Collette “the same report also Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources
identifies the ‘risks of degradation of fishery resources from the (DENR) of the Arroyo Government subsequently revoked the
submarine tailings disposal.’ The fishery sector is one of the pil- MPSA on July 16, 2001. The decision to revoke the MPSA
lars of the provincial economy.”10 was upheld by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in
People from the village of Pili organized and brought their case November of 2001, following an appeal to the Office of the
to the International Conference on Submarine Tailings Disposal President by Crew and by Ambassador Collette of the
in Indonesia in April 2001 and held a follow-up seminar on STD Canadian Embassy. Crew is still attempting to re-establish
in Pili based on what they had learned at the conference in tenure and has threatened to do so through the Philippine
Indonesia. Later in the year, on October 5, Alamin and Mahal courts and by invoking the Foreign Investment Protection
organized a seminar on STD in the provincial capital of Calapan. agreement signed between Canada and the Philippines in 1995.

• Metals to be mined are nickel (40,000 tonnes) and cobalt (3,050

Brief Corporate Background: tonnes) annually, from a laterite ore body. The nickel content
Crew Development Corporation is almost 1% in ore and the cobalt about 0.06 %. Approximately
Crew Minerals is a mid-tier mining company based in 4 million tons of waste per year would be produced.
Vancouver with projects in Norway, Canada, Greenland,
Philippines, and Africa11. Following a year of significant losses, • According to Crew’s plan, ore slurry is to be pumped through
a management crisis in March 2002 led to the resignation of pipes 43 km to the municipality of Pinamalayan and the
long-time CEO John Darch, as well as four other directors coastal village of Pili to a processing plant, a large port, and a
including long-time financial advisor Peter Barnes. The new Submarine Tailings Disposal system to dump the mine waste
CEO is Jan Vestrum. (tailings) into the sea at Tablas Strait.

Locally the External Affairs Director is Zonito Torrevillas and • The extraction process for the nickel and cobalt was to be
there is no country manager. Prior to major lay-offs following HPAL (High Pressure Acid Leach) using sulphuric acid.
the loss of Crew’s exploration permit in 2001, the country man-
ager was Arne Isberg. Local Opposition
ALAMIN (Alyansa Laban sa Mina “Alliance opposed to the
In 1999, Crew started a merger with the Norwegian company mine”) – This organization was formed in May of 1999 as a
Mindex Resources Development Inc. (Mindex). Final acquisi- broad coalition of Mindoreños opposed to the mine. It includes
tion was completed May 23, 2000 and Mindex became a wholly civil society groups, Roman Catholic and Protestant church
owned subsidiary of Crew. Mindex had mineral exploration leaders, NGOs, POs (peoples’ organizations), schools, teachers
rights to 9,720 hectares in Mindoro, Philippines since 1997. The and students, mountaineers and environmentalists, peasant
Mindoro prospect was to be the company’s first mine in the groups, human rights activists, Mangyan federations (represent-
country and they planned to use sulphur from their mine in ing Indigenous Peoples), elected officials at various levels of
Pamplona on Negros Island for their High Pressure Acid Leach government, and villagers. It is a major voice of opposition to
(HPAL) extraction process in Mindoro. Crew’s proposed mine in the province.

9
STD TOOLKIT

Chairperson: Evelyn Cacha – evscacha@yahoo.com Mangyan Tribes – There are seven Mangyan tribes in
Oriental Mindoro. There is an organization called KPLN, which
MAHAL (Mindoro Assistance for Human Advancement
represents them. In 1999 this organization passed a resolution
through Linkages, Inc.) – Formed in 1988, MAHAL is a non-
against the project. Two member tribes of KPLN, the Alangan and
profit grassroots organization committed to poverty alleviation.
the Tadyawan, are located in the concession area and have filed
MAHAL works with local level communities on small-scale
separate resolutions against the mine. The Alangan and Tadyawan
environmentally friendly development projects. MAHAL con-
started to process claims for their Certificate of Ancestral Domain
siders the mine proposed by Crew to be environmentally unsus-
Claim in 1994 and had these claims approved in 1996 and 1997,
tainable and fears it will ultimately contribute to greater poverty.
respectively. Other indigenous communities, specifically those
MAHAL hosts an important web site with information on the
with members living in the immediate location where the mine is
struggle against Crew. See http://communities.msn.com/ALAM-
to be located have seen their claims delayed. (See: Social
INMAHAL
Concerns and A History of Struggle in this chapter.)
Executive Director: Ned de Guzman – mahal@catsi.net.ph
Kalipunan ng Makabayang Mindoreño (Association
Kafcode (Kaunsayan Formation for Community of Nationalist Mindoreños) – This is an alliance of peasant,
Development) – Kafcode is a social development NGO who first Mangyan, urban poor, women, youth and human rights organi-
convened a forum on the mining issue attended by many of the zations committed to working for social justice and economic
organizations that formed ALAMIN as well as grassroots com- equity. Affiliated with BAYAN (Bagong Alyansang
munities that Kafcode works with. Doris Melgar, Kafcode’s Makabayan/New Patriotic Alliance), Kalipunan was one of the
executive director, holds the advocacy and networking desk at convening organizations for ALAMIN and also co-convener of
ALAMIN and through membership in CODE-NGO, a network STEAM (Southern Tagalog Environmental Action Movement).
of 2,000 development NGOs nationwide, she was able to project
BAYAN and Bayan Muna – BAYAN is a nationwide left-
the issue to civil society groups at the national level. Kafcode’s
wing movement committed to social justice and economic equi-
strong links to communities also helps in disseminating informa-
ty. Bayan Muna is a new national political party that grew out of
tion and gathering people for rallies.
BAYAN. Bayan Muna candidates, in the last election, promised
Roman Catholic Church – The Roman Catholic Church in the to come out against the mine.
Philippines has warned of the threat that large-scale mining poses to
CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines – New
people’s ability to feed themselves from “the bounty of nature.” 12
People’s Army – National Democratic Front) – These inter-relat-
The Roman Catholic Church in Mindoro gave its full support to the
ed organizations have also expressed opposition to the mine.
struggle through its network of institutions and parishes. Bishop
Local units of the communist guerilla army (NPA) expressed
Warlito I. Cajandig wrote to President Macapagal-Arroyo asking
opposition to the mine by burning down one of the office build-
her to uphold the cancellation of Crew’s MPSA license to mine. A
ings at the mine site.
key leader in this struggle has been Fr. Edwin Gariguez who heads
the Peasant Empowerment and Advocacy Network, or Peasant-Net,
and works with the local Organized Movement of Indigenous
Issues Fueling Opposition
People, Peasant and Fisherfolk. Environmental and Socio-Economic Concerns:

Father Edwin A. Gariguez – pesante97@yahoo.com • The proposed mine would be constructed within a critical
watershed for four major rivers systems (Ibulo, Aglubang,
Mindoro Conference – The Mindoro Conference is a net- Buraboy and Mag-asawang Tubig) that support two main irri-
work of Christian Churches in Mindoro that also passed a reso- gation systems for 70% of the lucrative rice fields and fruit
lution against Crew’s project. tree plantations in the lower lying regions. Mindoro Oriental
ranks as the third largest food-producing province in the
Elected Officials – Oriental Mindoro has been fortunate to
Philippines, and is considered the “foodbasket” for the
have elected officials who have taken an active interest in the
Southern Tagalog and Metro Manila regions. Mindoro
mining issue. Both Governor Rodolfo G. Valencia and Vice
Oriental provides 20% of the total agricultural production for
Governor Bartolome Marasigan have been vocal in their opposi-
these regions and 12 billion pesos worth of agricultural prod-
tion to the Crew mine on the basis of environmental concerns
ucts annually.13
and social unacceptability. They also charged that MINDEX had
initiated exploration activities without seeking the approval of • There is the threat of deforestation of mountainous slopes with
local government units. Opposition to the mine has also been concerns about siltation and flooding of rivers threatening loss
actively supported by mayors, elected village officials and by of life and contamination of fertile rice growing valley land.
members of the provincial board in numerous resolutions.

10
 CASE STUDY: MINDORO

• Contamination of ground and surface water used for drinking in April 2001, a huge protest erupted in Mindoro against the
water, irrigation, and water for animals. MPSA, in the midst of which Canadian Ambassador, Robert
Collette, visited Mindoro with members of the Bureau of
• There is concern over the threat to endangered species. Investments in a public show of support for Crew.
Mindoro has a significant unique endemic flora (at least 74
species) and fauna (at least 79 species) and significant defor- Later that month, word came that the incoming Secretary of the
estation. Mindoro, as a single bio-diversity zone is one of the DENR, Heherson Alvarez, had submitted a memo to President
top bio-diversity priorities in the world. Macapagal-Arroyo recommending that the MPSA be revoked.
On July 16, 2001 DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez officially
• Naujan Lake, located in Naujan Lake National Park, is consid- revoked the MPSA. On July 18, 2001, Canadian Ambassador
ered threatened by the mine. Tributary rivers from the pro- Robert Collette wrote a letter to President Gloria Macapagal-
posed mine site drain to the lake. The lake is an important Arroyo, via Executive Secretary Romulo, protesting the revoca-
source of food and income from fishing for local villagers and tion and noting that Aglubang/Crew was “reviewing its options
is also home to the Mindoro crocodile and a route for migrato- under Philippine law, as well as under the Foreign Investment
ry birds from China. Protection Agreement signed by our respective governments in
• Air contamination (CO2) could occur, caused by the process 1995.” Aglubang/Crew filed a formal motion for reconsideration
to neutralize sulphuric acid used in the extraction process. directly with President Macapagal-Arroyo.

• There is uncertainty about the Pressure Acid Leach technolo- On August 2, 2001, Ambassador Colette and Crew’s CEO John
gy method to extract nickel because it is still new, unproven Darch visited Governor Marasigan to discuss his opposition to
and has had environmental problems in Australia, where it has the mine. A large public meeting was held and according to a
also not lived up to economic predictions. member of Alamin, “we kept silent so as not to embarrass the
new Governor in front of the Ambassador so we just hung up
• Earthquake fault links create a risk of leakages in a 43-kilo- our protest banners. We felt insulted by the presentation of
meter pipeline that would carry slurry to the processing plant Crew, it was as though we do not understand the project or that
and transporting tailings into the sea. our concerns are not valid.”14 On August 21, 2001, John Darch,
Crew CEO wrote to Governor Marasigan to offer him trips to
• There is concern over the effects of using Submarine Tailings
other Crew mines to see the operations. To the great relief of the
Disposal to dump four million tons of mine waste a year into
people of Mindoro, President Arroyo upheld the MPSA revoca-
the rich fishing grounds of Tablas Strait.
tion by the DENR, on November 1, 2001.

Social Concerns: DENR Secretary Alvarez explained his decision in an editorial

There is concern over displacement, socio-cultural and econom- in the Philippine Star as being based on the need to protect criti-
ic impacts of mining on Indigenous Mangyan Peoples. The gov- cal watersheds, to protect the food security of Mindoreños, and
ernment has taken part in manipulation and corruption of the to respect the social unacceptability of the project:
“free and informed consent” process and the Certificate of
“The Mindoro Nickel Project is one case where sustainability is
Ancestral Domain process with respect to the Mangyan Peoples.
bound to fail . . . President Macapagal is fully aware of the situ-
ation. Her administration is committed to create wealth without
Peace and order: sacrificing the integrity and vitality of Mindoro’s natural sys-
Citizens are wary of increased violence related to conflict over tems . . . what does it gain the nation to be shortsighted and
the proposed mine. There has been one alleged NPA (New merely think of money, when an irreparable damage to the envi-
People’s Army, a communist guerrilla movement) killing of a ronment will cost human lives, health, and livelihood capacity of
village leader who was suspected of being in favour of the mine. our farmers and fisherfolk, endangering the food security of our
Two people were killed in 2001 by the Philippine army, one was people,” said Alvarez.15
thought to be a NPA member, the other was not; both were
believed to be opposed to the mine. Its Never Over Till Its Over . . .
Since President Macapagal upheld the revocation of the MPSA
Recent Events in the Struggle in November 2001, Crew has been on an aggressive campaign
In spite of massive opposition, Secretary Antonio Cerilles of the to win, or as ALAMIN members put it “buy” social acceptabili-
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ty. According to members of ALAMIN Crew, under the name
granted Aglubang Mining Corp./Crew the Mineral Production Crew Foundation, is offering soft loans of thousands of pesos to
Sharing Agreement (MPSA) on December 7, 2000. In January villagers at the proposed mine site and is supporting crab-prawn
of 2001, President Estrada fell to a people power revolution and farms in the lowlands.

11
STD TOOLKIT

The Secrets of Their Success tentions, and convening local political leaders. This illus-
The success of the movement against the mine in Mindoro trates the importance of independent environmental assess-
was due to: ments and underscores the need for greater transparency in
general around risk. It is rare that these consultant reports
• Significant donations of time and resources from members are made available to the public in their original form and
of the upper middle class. this should be a focus of international pressure.

• A history of other successful environmental campaigns, both • Mindoreños have been blessed with some excellent political
against large-scale logging and against illegal quarrying. leaders. Both former Governor Valencia and current Governor
Marasigan have worked closely with the broad coalition of
• Good communications systems and international outreach. groups opposing the mine and have been willing to take diffi-
MAHAL provided an excellent web site and international cult but principled positions with respect to the mine.
connections provided legislative and scientific information
on STD. “The Provincial Government and the people of Oriental
Mindoro will not gamble the agricultural sustainability and
• Passing knowledge and information on at local level com- environmental integrity of the province . . . We strongly
munity meetings, as well as in informing political leaders at believe that the people of Oriental Mindoro and the Canadian
all levels of the issues. people share a common vision of a world where the integrity
• The inclusiveness, diversity of membership, careful atten- of creation and the will of the people are being respected and
tion to the need to support and enhance grassroots leader- upheld,” wrote Governor Marasigan to Canadian Ambassador
ship, and participation of directly affected people in the Collette, in a letter dated June 25, 2001.
alliance against the mine.

• The fortuitous acquisition of the Kvaerner pre-feasibility Prepared by Catherine Coumans and MAHAL,
study. This played a critical role in informing local activists, ALAMIN, Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Kalipunan ng
providing “legitimate, scientific” support for their con- Makabayang Mindoreño

1 E, Gariguez. The Mangyans and the Mindoro Nickel Corporation: A Case of Deception and Manipulation 11 www.crewdev.com
Project of Mindex/Crew/Aglubang Mining in Obtaining Free, Prior and Informed Consent. no 12 Pastoral Letter Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Corporation: A Case of Deception and Manipulation date
Philippines, A Statement of Concern on the Mining Act
in Obtaining Free, Prior and Informed Consent. no 5 Eraker, H. Online: http://communities.msn.com/ALAM-
of 1995, February 28, 1998.
date. INMAHAL/norwatchonmindoronickelproject.msnw 13 Maliwanag, Orlando. A Policy Recommendation:
2 E, Gariguez. The Mangyans and the Mindoro Nickel 6 Maralit, E. Paper presented at the International
Ensuring Biodiversity and Agricultural Sustainability.
Project of Mindex/Crew/Aglubang Mining Conference on Submarine Tailings Disposal in A need for a Mining Moratorium in Oriental Mindoro
Corporation: A Case of Deception and Manipulation Indonesia April 23-30, 2001. Province. July 16, 2001.
in Obtaining Free, Prior and Informed Consent. no 7 Ibid. 14 Cacha, Evelyn. Personal Communication with
date. 8 Eraker, H. Online: http://communities.msn.com/ALAM- Catherine Coumans. October 5, 2001.
3 Eraker. H. Online
INMAHAL/norwatchonmindoronickelproject.msnw 15 Alvarez, Heherson. Philippine Star, November 13,
http://communities.msn.com/ALAMINMAHAL/nor- 9 Kvaerner Metals. Pre-feasabililty Study for Mindoro 2001.
watchonmindoronickelproject.msnw
Nickel Project. 1998.
4 E, Gariguez. The Mangyans and the Mindoro Nickel
10 Marasigan, B. Letter to Canadian Ambassador Robert
Project of Mindex/Crew/Aglubang Mining
Collette. June 25, 2001.

12 STD Toolkit: Philippines Case Studies | A Joint Publication of Project Underground & Mining Watch Canada | ©2002