DAVAO City — Leaders of the Mindanao business sector have criticized the Aquino
administration for taking a reactive stance and for not taking a decisive step on policies affecting the environment and natural resources, specifically logging and mining.

Vicente T. Lao, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council, said the administration of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III has failed to show political will in stopping illegal mining and logging especially in Mindanao. “President Aquino should have shown decisiveness in addressing these illegal activities,” said Mr. Lao, noting that while the President issued an executive order to stop illegal logging, such operations continue in various parts of the island.

The Mindanao Business Council comprises over 30 chambers of commerce and industry on the island. As early as November, ranking officials of the administration noted a clearer policy on mining is forthcoming even as the Pantukan, Compostela Valley landslide due to illegal mining have claimed at least 40 lives.

Last year, President Aquino issued Executive Order 23, or a moratorium on logging, but local executives in the region such as Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy in Davao del Norte claimed that based on recent seizures of illegally cut logs, illegal logging activities are ongoing.

Jim O. Sampulna, Environment and Natural Resources regional chief, earlier vowed to rid his agency of scalawags working with loggers.

On mining, Mr. Lao said the national government should have instituted policies that would effectively stop illegal mineral extraction.

Joji Ilagan-Bian, Mindanao representative to the Export Development Council and former Mindanao Business Council chairperson, accused the government for being reactionary, saying that “it would take another accident for it to take a serious look on how the laws are implemented.”

“It seems that the national government knows of the prevailing issue in the [mining] industry but had to set it aside to attend to other so-called priorities,” she added, pointing out that illegal mining activities have continued to exist because the miners are under the protection of influential personalities.

Mr. Lao earlier said the government should focus on institutionalizing its policies on responsible mining to protect those that have invested money in major projects, citing Sagittarius Mines, Inc.’s Tampakan copper-gold project in South Cotabato, among others.