“INVESTIGATING MINING POLLUTION AND
PLUNDER IN NUEVA VIZCAYA”
1. What is the importance of Begnotea taking samples of water and sediments in Didipio River?
What analysis do you think he will do with it?
The biologically diverse systems and natural resources of the province of Nueva
Vizcaya, known as the Watershed Haven of Cagayan Valley, are greatly endangered by
foreign large-scale mining and militarization. Karl Begnotea, a biologist who serves as an
organizer and field researcher of the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment,
witnessed that this serves as an environmental disaster which destroys the nature
particularly the massively polluted Didipio River.
Mirky-brown water flowed from the river and
the sediments from its riverbed was muddy,
sticky, and of a greenish color. These were the
observations taken from the water sampling
and laboratory testing of water and sediments
from the river.
Water sampling is the process of taking a
portion of water for analysis or other testing. Taking samples of water and sediments in
Didipio River is important because it identifies contaminants and prevents water-borne
diseases. Water quality testing makes sure that water is safe and meets local and
international water standards. This can be completed using water sampling techniques
and using technology to estimate the amount and level of chemicals in it. Through this
sampling, it can be a great tool for their study to the remote communities of Nueva
Vizcaya. It can also be a concrete indictment against the unfavorable impacts of large-
scale mining and mining policies and attestation of the continuing struggles of the
ecosystem.
2. Explain how mining pollution can affect other town and municipalities in Nueva Vizcaya.
Mining is the extraction of minerals and other geologic materials of economic
value from underneath the Earth. However, it has adverse effects to the environment
such as inducing loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and contamination of surface water,
groundwater, and soil. The leakage of chemicals from mining sites can also have
detrimental effects on the health of the population living at or around the mining site.
Most minerals contain heavy metal which are toxic to organisms.
Mining pollution often affect people, plants, and other organisms in an ecosystem
through the toxic chemicals that buoyantly float in waters like rivers which serves as one
of the main source of livelihood in the province of Nueva Vizcaya. It causes water pollution
which includes metal contamination, increased sediment levels in streams, and acid mine
drainage. It adversely impacts irrigation, fishing, swimming, domestic water supply,
normal pH of groundwater, and other activities dependent on such water bodies. The
acidic water released from metal mines or coal mines can also drain into surface water to
acidify groundwater which can have fatal effects on life sustained by water. Water
sources affected can be transferred to other towns, which may affect different livelihood
like plantations and farms. The water irrigated which is affected by chemicals can stunt
the growth of different flora and fauna along the waterways. These pollutions can also
damage the soil which in case, may be unable to be used for agriculture. These agricultural
products which are affected by the toxic minerals, will then eventually end up in our farm
markets and may be distributed to the different towns around Nueva Vizcaya. In addition,
not only humans will be affected, animal wildlife especially the marine animals also suffer
from this. It leads to a massive habitat loss for animal’s diversity disrupting the balance of
an ecosystem by reducing the population of animals which may lead to their extinction.
Rare animals that used to roam around the forest can now no longer be seen. Mining
pollution may also severely damage our body’s circulatory, excretory, digestive, and
nervous systems. Pollutant present in the air can damage the health of people living near
the site. Diseases of the respiratory system and allergies can be triggered by the inhalation
of such airborne particles. Also, the creation of landscape spot like open pits and piles of
waste rocks due to mining operations can lead to the physical deterioration of the land in
the mining site. Aside from destabilizing the ground, it has lost its nutrients which
prohibits the possibility of restoring its biological diversity. The once mountainous and
terrainious area has now become a big bank of broken rocks, loose soil, and unhealthy
water system.
3. Define the communities’ “continuing struggles”. What are they fighting for?
What have they lost?
Different communities continue to struggle in terms of livelihood, health, and
safety. The local indigenous and peasant population’s lives had worsened since the mining
companies occupied their lands with numerous cases of harassment, violence, deception
and other human rights violation. They continue to fight for their rights in their property
that was forcibly taken and with little amount of compensation with only P11,500.00 for
their destroyed homes and livelihood. They battle for their right to their land to continue
their lives and livelihood. Different organizations and families have lost their source of
income. They have lost their rights to their own land which had been robbed by the
development aggression of human against nature that despoil our natural resources and
take off the sustainable future of our future generations. Different human rights and
security have been violated. The promised development and security by FCF and Ocean
Gold Mining remains on paper. However, the rule of survival remains unchanged and
people are forced to find a new way of living and providing for their families.
GROUP 3
“INVESTIGATING
MINING POLLUTION
AND PLUNDER IN
NUEVA VIZCAYA”
(EARTH SCIENCE)
Submitted to
MS. SHERIE MAY CAMUS
Submitted By
Frances Hannah Atienza
Clarize Mae guce
Kenn Marquez
Reginald Dimapasok
Paul Danielle Vidal
