CITY OF MALOLOS—The 25 years mining permit of a controversial marble firm exporting marble varieties in different countries has finally been cancelled by the Department of Environment and Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) following series of clamor to totally stop its alleged destructive operations in Biak-na-Bato mineral reservation area in San Miguel town.
Director Leo Jasareno of the Mines and GeoSciences Bureau (MGB) of the DENR brought the good news to Bulacan officials and residents here Monday during the Bulacan State University (BulSU) Rain Forestation project to help save and protect the Biak-na-Bato mountains of Bulacan.
Jasareno said the cancellation of the Mineral Product Sharing Agreement (PMSA) of Rosemoor Mining and Development Corporation (RMDC) which he signed as MGB head and was released last Dec. 28 was ordered by DENR Sec. Ramon Paje due to several violations committed by the company that were raised and presented by both government officials and various socio civic and environment groups in the province.
He told NEWS CORE that Rosemoor has been found to have allowed a number of other firms to operate and quarry marble within their MPSA prescribed quarry site without each of those getting approval from the MGB and only using the firm’s MPSA.
Jasareno also cited the internal conflict for ownership of RMDC between the family of its slain alleged former president Constantino Pascual and his aunt, Dr. Lourdes Pascual who was just recently killed in her house in Quezon City.
Constantino Pascual was killed right after he attended a Sunday mass near his house in San Miguel town in 2008, two years after he was arrested and jailed at the Bulacan Provincial Jail on large scale estafa cases filed against him by his aunt.
Their squabble for ownership has yet to be resolved before the Supreme Court.
According to Jasareno, Rosemoor’s marble quarry operation has also an unresolved issue on its effect on ground water.
He said while the national government under President Aquino’s term encourages huge economy from mining industry, mining is not absolute to any company especially if there are violations and destructions on the bigger remaining natural wealth.
“Hindi puwedeng economic-based lang, dapat balance at responsible ang mining, kung destructive ito, hindi na dapat magpatuloy,” he said.
Jasareno said the next step is for the MGB and the DENR to formally ask the President to lift the declaration of some less than 1,000 hectares within the Biak-na-Bato National and Historical Park as Mineral Reservation area.
Biak-na-Bato, which figured in the country’s history as one of the camps of the revolutionary Katipunan forces in 19th century Philippines, was declared a national park by former President Manuel Quezon on Nov. 16, 1937 through Proclamation No. 223. The area covers 2,117 hectares in the villages of Kalawakan and Talbak in Doña Remedios Trinidad town and the villages of Biak-na-Bato and Sibul in San Miguel town.
In 1970, then President Ferdinand Marcos issued an order guiding mineral prospecting and exploitation in government reservations.
Through Proclamation No. 401, issued on April 11, 1989 by President Corazon Aquino, the national government re-defined the boundaries of the Biak-na-Bato National Park.
The proclamation set aside 952 hectares as mineral reservation, 938 hectares as watershed reservation and 480 hectares as forest reserve.