Unfolding the Aftermath of Mining Activities in Surigao del Sur

“Surigao del Sur our land and our home 
     Constant source of light and of love 
     In the warmth of your bosoms 
     Our dreams to you we share 
     Golden land of the strong and the free. “ 

 

Provincial Capitol of Surigao del Sur in Tandag City. Photo Retrieved from Official website of Surigao del Sur

Ten years had passed when I first sung the Surigao del Sur Hymn. It was when I am on my first grade when I was first taught by my mother how to pronounce and sing each word for an oral recitation purpose. But now, each moment I sing the Surigao hymn is a feeling of being a proud Surigaonon citizen. That is why, when I went to Cebu spending my days for my college education, I admit the great differences of being at home than being in a place where you are considered to be the stranger. I can say there is really no place like home. I still choose to live simpler in a place where I grew up and had experienced my first-time-experiences. Even if I’ll have the chance to roam around the globe, nothing can ever replace my province. I’ll still opt to live and die in my province where I can call home, my dearest Surigao del Sur.

History of Surigao del Sur

 

Map of Surigao del Sur. Retrieved from Official website of Surigao del Sur

According to Provincial Governor’s Office (as cited by Caraga Watch, 2014), Surigaonons came from Manobo and Mamanua. They added that Malay from Visayas came to and settle with the natives. They explained where Surigao word originated. They have said that it was because of the immigrants where Surigao acquired its name. They said Saliagao, one of the natives of the place, is the root word of Surigao, which was later pronounced into Surigao by its inhabitants.

According to Provincial Governor’s Office (as cited by Caraga Watch, 2014), Surigao was formerly extended to Agusan, including the islands east of it and the northern part of Davao. They said that time, the capital was Caraga making the Spaniards to call the people, Caragas. They said that people of Surigao del Sur were a collection of different racial types: Mandaya, Mamanua, Manobo and Mansaka. They expressed that the province of Surigao del Sur was created as the 56th Philippine province on June 19, 1960 by virtue of RA 2786 and was formally organized or separated from its mother province, Surigao del Norte, on September 18, 1960. Originally the province had 13 municipalities. But now, there were six more added making it 19. There were 17 municipalities and 2 cities with Tandag as the capital city.

Surigao as a Tourist Spot

Tinuy-an Falls, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. Photo Retrieved from mylab0714.blogspot.com

Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. Retrieved from choosephilippines.com

Cagwait White  Beach, Surigao del Sur. Photo Retrieved from entravel.blogspot.com

Surigaonon or not, it is considered to be a lifetime experience to go and to enjoy the beautiful spots offered by Surigao del Sur. Swimming with the various fishes in a depth of blue water of Enchanted River in Hinatuan is a must-try experience in the province. Trying a free soothing massage by a fast current of water from the mountains of Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig City is also a nice place to go. People also never missed to go sunbathing under the heat of the sun in a humble white sand of Cagwait Beach or “little Boracay” of Surigao as others call it. Surigao del Sur is not just known for its attractive features but it is also known for its hospitable people, the Surigaonons. They welcome each tourist with a smile who came across the province. Offer foods and delicacies to every person they meet. Some known delicacies are pudding (cassava cake), salvaro, butchi and many other foods. For these, I am indeed a proud Surigaonon.

Surigao before and today

 

The moment I opened my eyes, I have known Surigao del Sur as my dear hometown. It is the only place wherein I can afford to do the best things in my life without paying too much. I can go to beach every time I wish to go swimming under the heat of the sun. The clean riverbeds and bluish oceans which are filled with various kinds of sea creatures used for food consumption are evident in the province. Large areas of mountains occupied by bulky trees with big roots responsible for absorption of water are also noticeable in my province. Also, my taste buds never missed trying the sweetness of fruits and the goodness of vegetables that are always served in the table. Various species of endemic plants and animals is also very rampant in my province. Who doesn’t want to stay and live in a place like this? Well, every one of us dreamed to grow and to stay in a place where everything is natural and organic. One of these dreamed places is the province of Surigao del Sur.

However, as the days and years passed by, changes came to alter the province. These changes which were caused by human activities had resulted to different negative outcome. People became the invaders as well as the destroyers of his own land. In the case of Surigao del Sur, different mining companies had emerged to extract the irrenewable resources of the land. They denude hectares of forests by cutting down the trees and uprooting the roots. Now, many beaches and rivers of the place are becoming polluted. There is a decrease in fish production making a lesser income for the fisher folks. People are becoming too dependent to the natural resources. They extract almost everything for another source of living. One concrete example of anthropogenic activities is mining. One known mining company in Surigao del Sur is Marc Ventures Mining Development Corporation. Now, little by little, my dear province is becoming an altered place wherein it is slowly losing its natural resources making it a bit unsustainable environment for all Surigaonons.

Mineral Resources

Mining in Carrascal, Surigao del Sur. The once fish-filled river now turned into a dead river uncapable of sustaining life. Photo retrieved from journeyingjames.com

Surigao del Sur is known to have a rich metallic and non-metallic minerals. According to Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-DENR) (as cited by Caraga Watch, 2014), it is Caraga which has the 4^th largest copper deposit, 3^rd gold deposit, 5^th nickel, and 6^th chromite deposits in the country in which province of Surigao del Sur is a part of. They expressed that Caraga has the world’s biggest iron ore deposited in the mountains of two Surigao provinces. They also said that Surigao del Sur is one of the principal gold-producing provinces. Added up by the researchers of MGB-DENR is that coal deposit can also be found in the province of Surigao del Sur. In fact, they added that the biggest reserve of coal is found in Bislig and Andap Valley Complex that covers the city of Tandag and the municipalities of Tago, San Miguel, Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin and Lianga in Surigao del Sur.

Metallic minerals include copper, cobalt, chromite, gold, nickel and lead zinc. Non-metallic minerals are limestone, feldspar and coal, clay diatomite/bentomite and coarse/fine aggregates. It is because of this richness that Surigao del Sur province has that resulted to various mining companies which destroys the mountains of the province. One of the corporations operating in a large scale is the Marc Ventures Mining Development Corporation located at Carrascal and Cantilan operating in an area of 49.7389 sq. kilometers on gold mining. Another is the CTP Construction and Mining Corporation, also in Carrascal, which focus on gold and nickel mining in an area of 35.64 and 48.6916 sq. kilometers, respectively. The Carac-an Development Corporation, also in Carrascal, with an area of 506.3764 sq. Kilometres.

Effects of Mining Activities to the environment and to the humanity

 

Photo courtesy to licheltechnologies.com

Photo courtesy to licheltechnologies.com

Carrascal Nickel Project of Adnama Mining Resources, Adlay, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur.  Photo courtesy to licheltechnologies.com

According to a documentary report of Reporter’s Notebook by Jiggy Manicad (2011), Mt. Hilom-hilom in Surigao del Sur is one of the remained primary forests of the country. He said it is one of those 9 forests considered to be the key biodiversity. Manicad cited that its 4,000 hectares was declared on May 2011 as a protected watershed forest reserve. However, in spite of this, massive destruction of forests is continually practiced by the people operating mining.

Mining caused a large impact to humans as well as to the ecological balance of the environment. Contamination of potable water sources, poisoning of the air, water and soil, siltation of the coastline and degradation of nearby fishing grounds, destruction of habitats and decrease of biodiversity are just some of the ill effects caused by mining. According to Plundering Natural Resources (2014), an example of destroyed environment is the mangrove forests in Carrascal, Surigao del Sur which results from siltation of mining areas.

Mangrove Forest in Carrascal, Surigao del Sur. It is now slowly destroyed by siltation from mining companies. Retrieved from newworldphil.wordpress.com

Mining also results to destructive calamities that may kill huge numbers of people. Examples of calamities are landslides and flash floods that are always experienced in the province as its lands are destroyed even more. NDRRMC (2014) said that there are twenty-six (26) reported dead in Caraga during the January 2011 flash floods that affected 76,078 families. They added that there was a great damage to agriculture amounted to Php 3 million while damage to infrastructure reached Php 72.6 million. Also roads were impassable that suspended the region’s economy as well as the provinces covered, Surigao del Sur.

Three-feet flood in Daang Maharlika in Surigao del Sur due to Typhoon Washi last 2011. This impassable road caused delays to economic production. Photo courtesy to thewatchers.com

 

Landslide on the sides of the roads in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur after Typhoon Pablo had landed. Photo Courtesy to www.lovemindanao.com

The Aftermath of Mining activities to Surigao del Sur’s economy

It has been a stereotype of many people that upon the appearance of mining industries and plantations in a province will help stop and alleviate poverty. However, Caraga region is still one of the poorest regions in the country which includes Surigao del Sur which is stated by Philippine Statistics Office (2013). They said there is an increase of underemployment from 24.1% in 2012 to 27.1%. This implies that these mining companies do not provide stable jobs for the residents.

As I visit one of the mining companies in my province, I had encountered a driver of a 10-wheeler truck. According to him, the occurrence of mining companies in their place is a big help. These mining companies provide them jobs for their source of income. However, behind this, is a bigger problem that they never thought would happen to them. Yes, mining companies provide jobs however, these are contractual basis jobs. After a contract, people become unemployed again and will look for another job to support their families’ needs.  He also said that part of his one-year contract to a mining company results to a severe lung disease. He expressed that he got hospitalized for having tuberculosis because of a much polluted air he always breathe within his workplace.  He once quoted, “Dako nga tabang ang gihatag sa mining pero mas dako nga problema ang ila gihatag sa amua.” He said that mining companies had helped their family but these brought them more serious problems.

I also had a conversation to my former high school teacher who is now a resident of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur. She claimed that mining gave benefits to the people like the building of a new integrated high school. The said companies also offer the residents a scholarship for education in college which is of big help to the parents. Because of these, residents now welcome mining. However, they are also open to a fact that mining is the major cause of poverty in their place. She said that their once river filled with fish now turned into a muddy place. During rainy days, even just for a small amount of rain their town experiences too much flood and landslides.

Mining activity takes away the rights of many people of Surigao. These companies take away their once fertile land, the small fisher folk of their livelihood and displaced thousands from their homes and farmlands.  Increasing cases of landslides and flash floods result to decrease in rice and corn production which is their source of income. Meanwhile, farmers and families loss their source of living.

Part of Surigaonon lives is poverty. Retrieved from www.asianews.it

Mining activies do play an important role in devastating the Earth. One example is the province of Surigao del Sur which remained a poor province because of these mining companies. However, we could still stop these actions if we all of us will realize that everything in this world is interconnected. Every part of environment has an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of nature.

Reference List:

Journal references

Caraga Watch. (2014). Plundering Natural Resources Violating Human Rights, 5.

Caraga Watch. (2014). Plundering Natural Resources Violating Human Rights, 12.

Online References

Philippine Statistics Office. (2013). State of Poverty in the Country. Retrieved  on December 15, 2014

Jiggy Manicad. (2011). Katas ng Mina. Retrieved on December 15, 2014 

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG2Un59hgMA

National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. (2014). Calamities in the Country. Retrieved on December 18, 2014