Advocates urge NHCP to save Homonhon Island from mining

CEBU, Philippines – Environmental group Save Homonhon Movement urged the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to take a proactive role in the protection of Homonhon island in Eastern Samar from harmful mining activities.

“The alarming rise of destructive mining activities on Homonhon Island poses an imminent threat to its cultural and environmental integrity. The extraction of minerals irreversibly damages the fragile ecosystems and erodes the physical traces of our past,” the group said in a statement on Wednesday, April 24.

The environmental group said the island is an “invaluable cultural and historical treasure of the Philippines”, citing its significance in its colonial history. 

Historians and records have pointed to Homonhon Island as the first landing site of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew during their expedition to the East Indies, which led them to the Philippines in 1521.

“Given your authority and expertise in matters of historical preservation, we urge the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to take a firm stand against the continued destruction of Homonhon Island,” the Save Homonhon Movement said.

Since the 1980s, multiple large-scale mining activities have been reported in the island. 

According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Eastern Visayas, four mining companies are extracting nickel and chromite from the island’s mountains, namely Emir Minerals Resources Corp., Global Min-Met Resources Inc., King Resources Mining Corp., and Techiron Resources Inc..

In February 2017, Emir Mineral Resources and Techiron Resources were among the 23 mining companies that the late Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) Secretary Gina Lopez ordered closed due to alleged violations to environmental laws.

However, the same mining groups were able to continue operations after Lopez was kicked out as environment secretary in May 2017. Many environmental groups and even the Diocese of Borongan have since called for an end to mining operations on Homonhon and the entire Samar island. 

On April 23, the Homonhon Environmental Advocates and Rights Defenders (HEARD) and Homonhon Manila Residents Association (HOMRRA) staged a protest at the DENR Central Office in Quezon City, seeking to have the Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC) granted to the mining companies revoked.

The group pleaded with the NHCP to raise awareness on the issue, work with stakeholders, and lobby for legal protection of the island as one of the country’s most significant heritage sites.

“We implore you to take helpful actions to halt the destructive mining activities on Homonhon Island and initiate a comprehensive preservation plan. Let us work together to protect this national treasure for the benefit of our people and our children’s children,” their statement read. 

As of April 15, Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution calling for an investigation into the environmental impacts of mining and quarrying activities, including the ones on Homonhon island. – Rappler.com