LEGAZPI CITY—A local mining firm has filed application to mine limestone deposits in eight barangays in Albay, operating site of a strongly protested cement mining company.
Minekraft Resources Corp., based in Sorsogon province and owned by businessman Alex Wee Jr., filed with the Mines and Geoscience Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources application to mine vast limestone deposits at eight known tourist spots in the tiny town of Camalig, source of the Mayon pozzolan cement operated by Goodfound Cement Co.
The targeted mining site for limestone deposits are barangays Palanog, Bantoman, Baligang, Quitinday, Caguiba, Pirian, Binaderahan and Miti.
Tourism Regional Director Maria Nini Ravanilla has filed her objections against the proposed mining before the provincial board Committee on Tourism and Environment and the Department of Natural Resources, strongly arguing of the historical and cultural significance of the tourism spots.
The eight barangays form part of the Albay, Masbate, Sorsogon (Almasor) tourism program, an alliance of the three provinces created to promote tourism and lure investors. It is about 3 kilometers away from the Bicol International Airport currently being constructed atop Barangay Comon in nearby Daraga town.
The affected tourist spots are the Japanese occupation-era tunnels, the Hoyop-hoyopan cave, Quitinday Green Hills comprising of more than 100 tiny hills similar to the chocolate hills in Bohol, the Quintuinan Hills, and the Sumlang Lake.
Antimining advocate Albay Gov. Joey Salceda cannot be contacted for comment. Since becoming a governor in 2007, Salceda has imposed a “no-mining policy in the province.”
In 2007, as congressman of Albay’s Third District, he was the leading advocate against the Australian-owned Lafayette Mining in Rapu-Rapu island town involved in the mining of nickel, copper and silver. Lafayette sold the Rapu-Rapu Mines to a group of Korean investors two years later and closed operation in 2012 after its contract for five years with the Philippine government expired.
In fighting mining, Salceda said benefits received by the region from the mining industry is miniscule compared to the billions of pesos earned by mining investors from the mineral resources extracted in the region. Salceda’s term as governor expires in June this year and he is running for the Second District which includes Camalig town.