The Island Newsweek V1 N12

IBALANGIBOG SA BILOG NA MUNDO, ORAGON AN BICOLANO!

THE VOL. 1 NO. 12

KAYA TA AN RESPONSABLENG PAGMIMINA SA RAPU-RAPU!

NEWSWEEK

AN INTRA-COMPANY OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RAPU-RAPU POLYMETALLIC PROJECT

SEPTEMBER 4 -10, 2006

MGB&DENR National Officials Visit RRPI/RRMI Project Site Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) National Director Horacio Ramos, Director of Public Affairs Office of the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-OSEC) Virgilo Vitug and Chief of the Mining, Environment & Safety Division of MGB-Central Office Engineer Michael Cabalda visited the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project last September 7, 2006. Along with them were two officers of the DENR-OSEC: Philip Suzara and Ed Esteller; and two officers of DENR’s Public Affairs Office: Daneelyn Querijiro and Ayda Zoleta.

In addition, the visiting party also included 16 journalists and photographers from national and international media bureaus: The Reuters, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Remate, Malaya, Tempo, Business World, ANC, Living Asia, and Bloomberg. Their visit came two days before the end of the third and final test run which officially ended on the 9th of September 2006. During the visit, Atty. Bayani Agabin, legal counsel of Lafayette Philippines Inc. (LPI) announced that the company filed a motion for a 60-day extension of the test run. Said motion was filed in order to allow the base metal plant sufficient time to properly undergo the standard commissioning process of two to three months. The journalists were made to understand that it is the first time that the base metal plant has been put into production; it was the gold plant that was in operation during the spills in October 2005. Moreover, a longer test run would increase the assurance that the mine is environmentally safe and that all the compliance measures put in place work effectively.

Recently organized Tinopan goat farmers’ group participated in a RRPI/

RRMI-sponsored two-day exposure trip to the Neo goat farms in Lian, Batangas from August 30 to Sept. 2, 2006. The participants were elected officers and member of the association: President Teodimer Bendal, Vice-President Teodolfo Dizon Jr., Treasurer and Secretary Wilson Penilla, and member Allan Penilla.

Accompanied by Teody Marquez, Senior Vice-President of RRPI/RRMI, Joey Cubias, VP for Industrial and Community Relations, CARE Manager Rene Castro, Agro-Forester Nelson Buenafe, and CARE Officer Roy Cervantes, the group visited the Neo-Farm, owned by Neo Abalos, and Martin G. Poblador’s MGB Farms. The activity was part of the preparations for the formal technology training for the beneficiaries of the project. The proposed beneficiaries of this goat-farming project are residents of the direct host barangays of Binosawan and Pagcolbon, as well as the indirect host barangays of Linao and Tinopan. For this first exposure trip, only the members of Tinopan group participated. Similar exposure trips for the goat farmers from the other barangays will follow.

Director Ramos inspects the plant with the journalists and company managers

Questions were entertained from the journalists during the open forum which followed the presentation of the company’s environmental management programs and the production processes of the base metal plant. The one-day visit culminated with a tour around the plant and mine site by the government officials and media people accompanied by managers and engineers of RRPI/RRMI. It was important that MGB and DENR officials from the national offices as well as the national media personally observe the changes that have been put in place by the new Filipino management since February 2006 and to see for themselves the actual mining and production processes. While for some of the media people it was their first visit to a mine site, for others it was their second or third visit to the Rapu-Rapu project site. Regardless, most of them were impressed by the additional environmental measures installed, pleased to be able to observe actual processing of metal concentrates (especially zinc), and to understand the seriousness with which the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic group of companies commits itself to responsible mining. The Neo Farm in Lian, Batangas is one of the new model farms that showcase the intensive raising of goats of pure and/or mixed AngloNubian and Boer breeds. Their farm provides the visitor with an experience of working models of goat houses, forage pastures and feeding and caring routines quite different from the traditional free-range care of goats. These modern methods have managed to increase the effectivity and efficiency of goat-raising to a science thereby increasing yield and profitability. This exposure trip is one of the many techniques that CARE/ComRel will be using to improve the group’s knowledge of raising goats. Additional knowledge, input and assistance will also be provided by the Municipal Agricultural Office, Albay Provincial Veterinarian’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI). Mixed Boer goats will be given to the beneficiaries. These goats will be sourced from the Neo farm and bred with the native goats of Rapu-Rapu. (The pure Boer specie can grow up to 90 kilos with a reproduction period of twice a year.) The goats will be housed in pens and will be fed with locally available grasses. Other grass species for forages and feeds will also be planted and will double as protection against erosion. Goat-farming is among the ten priority projects of Mr. Sonny Dominguez for the above-mentioned barangays to be implemented this year as it is a relatively profitable undertaking, even for small scale farmers. Moreover, the Island of Rapu-Rapu is very much suited for goat farming. In fact, the island used to be a pasture land for goats. The industry only died down because of the rampant stealing. The company hopes to revive the goat farming industry of the island through its Food Security, Employment & Livelihood Programs.

The goat farmers with SVP Teody Marquez, VP Joey Cubias, CARE Officers and the farm-owners

When the patterns are broken, new worlds can emerge

VOL. 1 NO. 12 page 2

THE

NEWSWEEK

SEPTEMBER 4 –10, 2006

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT FOR RAPU-RAPU LGU COMPLETES ITS FINAL PHASE The third and final phase of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Training

for Rapu-Rapu LGU was held at Viento de Mar in Sogod, Bacacay, Albay from September 4 to 6, 2006. The seminar-workshop, which focused on Development and Production of Solid Waste Management I.E.C. materials and SWM Policy Formulation and Enforcement, was facilitated by the team of Celia Marquez and Prima Leida Queblatin of the Solid Waste Association of the Philippines (SWAPP), a premier national NGO on solid waste management based in Manila.

The goal of the SWM project is to make the town of Rapu-Rapu not only compliant with the requirements of R.A. 9003 (otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of the Philippines) but more importantly, to make Rapu-Rapu as another model of general sanitation and cleanliness and eventually transform it into the “Puerto Princesa” of South Luzon. There were 29 participants composed of 15 officials from the LGU and Sangguniang Bayan of Rapu-Rapu, ten from the pilot SWM barangays of Batan, Poblacion, Pagcolbon and Binosawan, and four employees of RRPI/RRMI. They developed SWMrelated social marketing plans, approaches and strategies and materials to actively promote solid waste management practices in the municipality of Rapu-Rapu and their respective Celia Marquez conducts lecture for the participants barangays.

Teody Bendal and the goat farmers of Tinopan he President of the Tinopan Goat Farmers Association is Teodimer Bendal, Teody for short. A soft-spoken, slightly built man, he is the current treasurer of the Sangguniang Barangay and the president of the General Parent-Teacher Association (GPTA) of the barangay’s elementary school. As the first president of this newly organized group, Teody is all enthusiastic about the latest livelihood project of RRMI/ RRPI.

Mr. Bendal

Facilitators and some participants with VP Joey Cubias

The closing program was attended by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan, namely: Kagawad Mariano “Quaky” Bolaños, Kagawad Giovanni Guapo, Kagawad Wilson Guianan, Kagawad Marino Barranda, ABC President Josue Galicia, and SK Municipal Federation President Joan Bruso. Also present was Ms. Jo Darish, the Municipal SWM Coordinator of Rapu-Rapu LGU. The officials assured the SWM group of their full and wholehearted support and promised to endorse the necessary legislative actions needed to effectively implement the solid waste management program of the municipality. Mr. Joey Cubias, VP for Industrial and Community Relations acknowledged with deep appreciation the LGU for their support to the company and its project. Rene G. Castro, Head of CARE, coordinated the training activity with strong support from CARE officers and the Legaspi office staff: Melanie Valenciano, Nancy Alipar, and Nelson Sto. Domingo. Mr. Joseph dela Rosa, the company’s HR Officer, was also present during the program together with Pepito Navera and Lawrence Araojo of Safety and Environment departments. RRMI/RRPI will also set up a similar solid waste management program at the Pagcolbon (Rapu-Rapu) Basecamp. The goat-raising group was formally organized on September 8, 2006, and election of the officers was held the same day. The members and their families will be the main beneficiaries and will take the lead roles and responsibilities for the project. RRPI/RRMI will provide the goats, facilities, technical expertise and the proper coordination with the municipal government and offices of the Municipality of Rapu-Rapu. The company will also lend sufficient funds for their initial operational expenses.

The first project to be implemented among the indirect host barangays of Linao and Tinopan, the goat raising project was recently brought into high gear with the exposure training activity in Lian, Batangas last August 28 to September 1, 2006. The trip was the fruit of a series of organizational activities among the beneficiaries and CARE staff Rene Castro and Roy Cervantes for the past three months. The implementation of the goat farming project brought high hopes for new sources of income to the beneficiaries such as Teody and his family. When asked about his impressions of the trip, Teody revealed that “The exposure trip to Batangas was very significant to us. It gave us a glimpse of our project. I am very happy for the realization of this because this will surely augment my income.” “This goat-farm,” he added, “is a response to our request for livelihood when Sec. Reyes came to visit the plant site. We chose goat-farming over the other viable alternative livelihoods since we are familiar with it and it is relatively easy to manage considering the demands our primary source of income which is fishing.” “Goat-farming is a healthy business. It has less competitors and an undeveloped market. I am confident that these factors mean that there is high demand for goat meat”, he explained. At present, Masbate is the only major supplier of goat-meat in our local markets. Teody’s group is hoping to fill the void in this business and even supply meat to other provinces. “I understand that the company is not trying to alienate us from our old ways of earning a living in granting us this goat-farm project. As a fisherman, I usually work during the night; daytime is spent preparing our fishing paraphernalia,” he added. “Once the project starts, we will remain as fishermen and will watch over our animals during spare time.” In Barangay Tinopan, 11 persons signified their interests to participate in the goat raising project. Asked to form an association, they elected Teody to be the President. Other elected officers are as follows: Teodulfo Dizon Jr. as Vice-President, Wilson Penilla as Secretary and Treasurer, Ronillo Echague as Project Officer and Cristy Penilla as Membership Relations officer. Other members are the following: Jay Betito, Glen Bosito, Norberto Bosito, Wilberto Bosito, Allan Penilla, and Joel Penilla.

Roy Cervantes with the goat farmers of Brgy.Tinopan

The project is designed to be different from the usual scheme commonly known as “animal dispersal” whereby families are each given animals to raise by themselves. In this project, the animals will be cared for by the group and each member will take turn caring for the animals that will be raised in a common house and enclosure. The group has identified Penilla’s property as the designated goat farm. A memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the land owner and the goat-farmers is currently being prepared stipulating the duration and conditions on the use of said land. Although the animals will also be allowed to forage for themselves, the project calls for the planting of grasses in the nearby areas that will be used for supplementary feed. Several sites for the proposed pasture area in their barangay have been identified, as well as varieties of indigenous grasses that can be used as forage. Environment Officer Cris Rivero and Agroforester Nelson Buenafe helped facilitate the activity and will be actively supporting the goat farmers in this aspect of the project. EDITORIAL BOARD Managing Editor: Cecille Calleja Contributors: Roy Cervantes, Rene Castro Bicol Translation: Mcken Belgica, Roy Cervantes Production: Arnold A. Guadalupe, Kareen Asuncion, Mcken Belgica Circulation: Mcken Belgica, Nancy Alipar, C.A.R.E. Dept.