‘NOT YET OVER’ | Fight against mining continues for Sibuyan Island after writ of kalikasan, says group

July 4, 2023 , 03:21 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(July 4, 2023) – An environmental organization on Monday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to issue a writ of kalikasan in relation to the petition filed by residents of Sibuyan Island in Romblon but maintained that the fight of the community continues.

The Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (PNE) considered the issuance of the writ against the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the Altai Philippines Mining Corporation (APMC) as part of the residents’ “successive victories.”

“We saw how valiant people’s barricade of communities in Sibuyan was able to temporarily put APMC’s illegal and unpopular operations on hold, and raise awareness across the country regarding the ecologically damaging and foreign-oriented state of mining in the Philippines,” said Kalikasan PNE.

But the group acknowledged that the latest ruling was not an end-all solution to the struggle of Sibuyan Island, noting the Supreme Court’s rejection of a request for a temporary environmental protection order.

In its notice, the high court also required the DENR, MGB, and the APMC to file their verified comments within 10 days from the receipt of the writ of kalikasan. It likewise referred the case to the Court of Appeals to receive further evidence.

“The fight is far from over,” said Kalikasan PNE. “We must be vigilant in how APMC will respond in the coming weeks and months, seeing how recently we have seen reports of APMC undermining community solidarity in the island of Sibuyan to manufacture approval for their mining project.”

Last January, the protests against mining activities in Sibuyan Island made headlines as residents formed a barricade to block APMC’s trucks carrying nickel ore. Local groups slammed the violent dispersal that injured some protesters.

Sibuyan Island, also known as the Galapagos of Asia, is no stranger to mining explorations and operations in the past decades but residents have consistently stood their ground in fighting for the protection of their community.

Kalikasan PNE stressed that “the struggle continues” until the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement gets cancelled and the personnel and equipment of APMC leave the island.

It also stressed that the issue being faced by Sibuyan Island cannot be confined to their area alone because the problem stemmed from “the longstanding issues at the national policy level,” citing the Mining Act of 1995.

Progressive groups have urged President Bongbong Marcos Jr. to stop illegal mining operations that damage the environment and communities. Last February, Marcos vowed to enforce laws on “responsible mining” to balance the interests of stakeholders.

“With the Marcos Jr. administration gearing to expand the mining industry in the country, it is crucial that we continue to push back against unsustainable mining practices and fight for a pro-people, pro-environment framework oriented towards genuine national development,” said Kalikasan PNE.

(PM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.