DATE ; 5 HAY zlige Sunday DAY : ri[TriP. NEWS Strategic Communication and Initiative Service r F I "p - VIPER PAGE I nANNEI EDITORIAI CN Lit!_ Pc89n--off it I STORY STORY I f I iF loon PAGE LOWER NNiattrneril of Environmen1 mid Nntural Resources MANILAPBULLETIN TRATEGIC COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES SERVICE THE NATION'S LEADING NEWSPAPER 05 MAtATE519 DENR project to eliminate use of mercury in small-scale mining By ELUDIffi DE VERA-RUIZ will see mercury-free gold mining as viable," said Teh, who also serves as he Philippines has begun to operational focal point person of GEE- eliminate the use of mercury Philippines. in small-scale mining through a Mercury also known as quicksilver, Tfive-year project funded by the is widely used in ASGM as a "magnet" to Global Efivironment Facility (GEF). extract gold that is mixed with soil and The GEF-Global Opportunities for other sediments in ores. Long-Term Development (GEF- GOLD) This practice exposes miners to the project, which will be implemented by metal, which is known for its toxicity that the Department of Environment and could affect the nervous, immune and Natural Resources (DENR), aims to pro- digestive systems. mote legislation to legalize and support Aside from the Philippines, the GEF- artisanal and small-scale gold mining GOLD project which has an allocation (ASGM), while encouraging miners to of $45 million is also extract gold using environment-friendly being implemented in alternatives to mercury. Peru, Colombia, Guy- DENR Undersecretary Analiza Re- ana, Indonesia, Ke- buelta Teh said the project was a way to nya, Burkina Faso and help small-scale miners who are willing Mongolia. to abide by government policies on re- In the Philippines, sponsible mining practices. the project sites are Teh said the project is expected to the towns of Maco in help the Philippines "contribute to the Compostela Valley, elimination of mercury in ASGM through T'boli in South Cota- a supply chain approach from miners to bato, and Rosario in refiners." Agusan del Sur. "We hope that small-scale miners The components of the project include a review of policies gold mining, the GEF-GOLD project also and legal frameworks supporting the aims to address issues involving ASGM ASGM sector; introduction of financing such as working conditions, child labor schemes allowing miners to invest in and gender gap. sustainable mercury-free technologies; upscaling of these technologies; dissemi- The project is also one of the strate- gies as the Philippines aims to be mercu- nation of information to ensure replica- ry-free under the Minamata Convention tion; and monitoring and evaluation. on Mercury which is yet to be ratified by Based on the data by the DENR's the Senate. Mines and Geosciences Bureau, there Apart from ASGM, mercury has also are a total of 38 small-scale mining sites been detected in some fuels, recycled in Caraga Region, while 78 exist in the metals, and consumer products like Cordillera Administrative Region. whitening cosmetics, batteries and Aside from promoting mercury-free dentel fillers. UPPER PAGE 1 BANNER EDITORIAL CAR1001 STORY 51011 &Ilk 0 PAGE OWER Department of Environment and Natural Resuur I es 05 HAY 2319 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES SERVICE DATE Al4G NA4CONOLAllt4G P APAYAGASO TAGAt OG 5A BASIA Paggarnit ng mercury sa pagmimina, itinigil Sinimulan ng Filipinas na iligil ang Ayon lcay DENR Undersecretary paggamit ng mercury sa small-scale min- Analiza Rebuelta Teh, ang proyekto ay ing sa pamamagitan ng limang taong paraanupang matulunganang mga miner° proyekto na pinondohan ng Global En- na handang sumunod sa mga polisiya ng vironment Facility (GEF). pamahalaan para sa responsableng pag- Ang GEE-Global Opportunities for mirnina. Long-Term Development (GEE-GOLD) Aniya, ang proyekto ay inaasahang project, na ipatutupad ng Department malcatutulong sa Filipinas "contribute of Environment and Natural Resources to the elimination of mercury in ASGM (DENR), ay layuning palaganapin ang through a supply chain approach from legislation nag awing led at suportahan miners to refiners." ang artisanal and small-scale gold min- "We hope that small-sea It' miners will ing (ASGM), habang hinhikayat ang mga see mercury-free gold mining as viable," miner° na rnaging environment-friendly ani Telt at hindina gumamit ng mercury. Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz 1-1 Ps MORT BANNER EDITORIAL RUN 510111 STORY epartment or EnVIronnient and Maim RI Resources CS MAY 7019 RATEGIC COMMUNICA1 ION IVES SERVICE Ii Alf Enforce-ilian on silver cleaners EcoWaste THE environment-advo- thelatestvictim inastring ers having access to this Mendoza's younger broth- cacy group EcoWaste of tragic deaths linked to poison that had already er Prince saw the victim Coalition yesterday reit- the ingestion of cyanide- f illy harmed many peo- lying unconscious on the erated its call for con- containing silver jewelry ple, including children. toilet floor as if having a tinuing law enforcement cleaner. According to Dizon, convulsion. action against those im- "We urge the authori- the victim, Rain Mendoza Concerned neighbors porting, manufacturing, ties to conduct sustained of Barangay Rizal, on then rushed him to the distributing and selling law enforcement opera- Wednesday morning acci- Ospital ng Makati in near- cyanide-laced silverjew- tions to rid the market- dentally drank a silver byBarangayPernbowhere elry cleaning products. place of silver jewelry cleaning solution placed he was given medical at- The wrgup through its cleaners containing cya- in a soft drink bottle. His tention at the Pediatric chemical safety cam- nide and other toxic sub- parentsJenniferandSher- Intensive Care Unit. paigner Thony Dizon stances," stated• Dizon. win believed the boy had Early Thursday morn- made ,the call after a sev- Dizonstressed that any mistaken it for a soda and ing, Mendoza was de- en-year-old boy from lapse in law enforcement draelc.it dated dead by attending Makati City has become will _mean more consurn- Reports showed that physician Dr. Geraldine Alcantara from cyanide chemical ingredients. Responding to the ris- poisoning. According to the Food ing number of cyanide poi- Dizon, who went to the and Drug Administration soning cases due to the residence of the Mendozas (FDA), cyanide "is classi- accidental as well as delib- onFridaymomingtocom- fied as poisonous which erate intake of silverjewel- rniserate with the grieving can be rapidly absorbed ry cleaning products, the family, has been cam- by thebody throughinha- governmentissuedin2010 paigning againstthedead- lation, ingestion and der- through the Department ly silver jewelry deaner mal absorption." of Health and the Depart- since 2009. "It blor ks utilizationof ment of Environmept and The group likewise reit- oxygen in all organs and Natural Resources a ban erateditsadvicetothepub- liable to cause serious in- on the sale of silverjewelry lid not to buy and use un- jury to human health that cleaners containing cya- registered silver jewelry may lead to acute poison- nide and other toxic sub- cleaning products with ing or death," the FDA stances. cyanide and other toxic said. Cory Martinez PEER PAGE I CANNER EDRORIAl CARTOON STORY STORY 1800 PAGE towel )epartment of EnvRowel1i anti Natural Resources MANILAMILLETIN 05 MAY 2319 TRATEGIC COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES SERVICE THE NATION'S LEADING NEWSPAPER DATE Making Manila Bay great again analysis. This will help determine what proper interventions need to be done. The second phase covers the rehabilitation of old sewer lines in NCR and the relocation of informal settlers living near the area. Initial studies by the DENR identify four major causes of pollution along the Manila Bay: Solid waste, septage or sewage, informal settler families living along waterways, and the degradation of riparian By VIANCA GAMBOA and coastal ecosystems. Solid waste appears to be the most visible pollutant and deadly levels of Forts to rehabilitate Manila Bay still coliform come from the direct discharge of waste have a long way to go. But, since from sewer lines and septic tanks. the project kicked off earlier this "In Metro Manila, for example, only 20.45 year, there have been remarkable percent of the 13,040,123 customers of Mayni- results—the government, together with man- lad and Manila Water are connected to sewer dated agencies, the private sector, and civil lines," DENR-NCR explained. "The rest of its society groups, has been very busy customers—roughly 10 million—rely on septic For the initial phase of the restoration tanks, most of which are defective. And of these project, over 5,000 government workers and vol- 10 million or so, the water concessionaries unteers helped in collecting 45 tons of garbage. are only able to provide sanitation service to This included the cleanup of esteros, water- 1,894,175, or a mere 14.53 percent. This would ways, and coasts along an area stretching from explain the high levels of coliform found in our the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy rivers, esteros, and canals." The bay is also undergoing desilting and Although brimming with high hopes, the dredging operations, especially at the mouth of DENR believes the rehabilitation has a long way major river systems in NCR. So far, over 25,000 to go. That poverty is prevalent among the 7,000 tons of plastic and silt were extracted along the families residing along the waterways and creeks US Embassy alone. of the bay does not help. Unfortunately, their hous- According to the Department of Environ- es, some of which even sit directly on top of major ment and Natural Resources - NCR Regional rivers, prevent the free flow of water into the bay. Public Affairs Office (DENR-NCR), there has Their waste is also directly discharged into the also been a decrease in the amount of fecal bay, causing more pollution. As a temporary fix, coliform bacteria found in Manila Bay waters. the families in surrounding waterways were given The levels, however, are still significantly access to temporary sanitation facilities while the high, which is why the bay area is still unsafe rehabilitation and major planning for their formal for swimming.