Group to govt: Review management of natural resources amid collapse of Toledo City pit

Search and retrieval operations continue at the collapsed mine site for the six missing miners. |Photo courtesy of the Toledo City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The collapse of an open mining pit in Toledo City, Cebu, should be a wake-up call for the government to manage Cebu’s natural resources better.

The Sectoral Transparency Alliance for Natural Resource Governance (STANCE) Cebu has released a statement urging the government to look into the collapse of the pit operated by Carmen Copper Corporation (CCC) leading to the death of four miners and six others missing.

The STANCE Cebu urge the government to provide restitution to the families of the deceased miners through a proper, diligent, and transparent fact-finding process to identify who are liable for the incident.

“So that accountability can be exacted from those who are liable to answer to this disaster,” said STANCE Cebu.

The group also calls on the government agenecies mandated to lead the management of natural resources to update standards of monitoring, intensify efforts in environmental management, provide timely disclosure of information, and expand spaces of oversight of extractive industries.

They urge for mutidisciplinary approaches and multistakeholder engaegments in the governance of natural resources.

The alliance is reminded of the Naga landslide in 2018, which killed more than 70 individuals and which was reportedly caused by rampant quarrying in the area.

“After the similar unfortunate event in 2018, the Cebuano people deserve deliberate approach for a btter world, a sustainable future. The time to put our acts together is now,” said STANCE Cebu. /rcg