In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Duterte stressed “In warning the Again, I warn irresponsible miners, along with their patrons, to stop destroying our watersheds, recharge areas, forests, and aquatic resources.”
He said the Filipino can no longer fish in our rivers, because it’s all contaminated. And the color is not even brown or white, it’s black.
Pointing the practices of irresponsible miners, Duterte pointed “You want to see it? I will invite you. We can go to Diwalwal and the other mining areas. And I’m sure you will puke with what is happening to this country. Expect reforms, radical ones. I cannot intend to quarrel with anybody, with the moneyed, but for as long as I am here I said: you will just have to contend with me.vowed to the government will implement a stricter environmental protection policies, including prohibiting open-pit mining.”
He emphasized “Nature endowed us with this wealth to be tapped for the benefit of all generations. My policy in the utilization of these resources is non-negotiable: the protection of the environment must be top priority and extracted resources must be used for the benefit of the Filipino people, not just a select few. Do not just give me taxes. I can get it from other sources. Give me what needs to be given to my countrymen. ”
He added “To the mining industry, I say this once again and maybe for the last time, do not destroy the environment or compromise our resources; repair what you have mismanaged. Try to change [your] management radically because this time you will have restrictive policies. The prohibition of open pit mining is one. [applause] It is destroying my country. It is destroying the environment. It will destroy the world of tomorrow for our children. ”
He called on all concerned agencies and local government units to uphold the concept of inter-generational responsibility in [the exploration] and utilization of our mineral wealth, the protection and preservation of our biodiversity, anchored on the right to a balanced and healthy ecology.
“To the mining industry, I say this again and maybe for the last time: Do not destroy the environment or compromise our resources,” he warned.
“Don’t just give me taxes. I can get these from other sources,” he said, referring to the miners. “But give me what needs to be given to my countrymen.”
All Filipinos must benefit from the country’s minerals, he noted.-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
