ILIGAN City ― In the earlier part of last year, before the national elections, there was that news here that a mining company would be established in barangay Rogongon. The said barangay is located in the hinterland area of this city. Now, what would they mine there: Nickel? Iron? Gold? Lithium? Materials for magnets? Or all of the above.
With the change of leadership brought about by the elections, and with the continuous rains that flooded several barangays here and many areas in Mindanao too. there was no more news on the development of that aspect.
The city had to deal with said flooding which brought about drainage problems too. Many residents had to evacuate to safer grounds. And in said barangay Rogongon, some portions of the roads there were rendered impassable. Even the barangays located along the shorelines too had such problems.
Climate change, they say, is the culprit. Because, humanity has become careless, and reckless. they say. Something has to be done. For the atmosphere had been "dirtied." The ozone layer had been destroyed, say the experts.
So, there must be "green energy." Stop the pollution. Change to electric vehicles because they do not emit black smoke, They are clean, unlike these gasoline-powered cars.
Therefore, there are several initiatives in that aspect. Like using these electric cars. Or wind-powered turbines. Or using the energy of the sun using solar panels. Things like that.
But, there is a big "but" to those initiatives. Because these things that make for this "clean" energy require materials that have to be mined beneath the earth. Like the materials, I mentioned above.
And in the process of mining, the earth is "dirtied." These mining companies, most of them do not mind the mess during and after the mining process. To the dismay of the dwellers near the mining areas.
I would cite one "mining" instance-- that of Yinglong Steel, a mining company in Zambales. Tons of nickel ore are shipped from the site, in spite of its "non-compliance of environmental laws" In addition to other laws like percentage of ownership. This is according to Rigoberto Tiglao, per his column in a national newspaper.
This mining company, it was feared by the dwellers in the area, could pollute the Uacon river there.
It was suspected that the Zambales guv, Hermogenes Ebdane "favored" the mining. And maybe higher national officials. So, never mind the pollution there. And there are other similar stories like these in other areas of the world like in South Africa and elsewhere in the world. In the name of "halting" climate change.
So, maybe, this Rogongon mining story would end. What with what happened during the continuous flooding these days? Which one area of said barangay was rendered impassable, per reports?
Climate change initiatives, I mean, countering these effects on us are confusing. And contradicting!
Email: norasorino2@gmail.com
