Mining in the Philippines (Argumentative Essay)

Mining in the Philippines has long been prevalent since the mining boom in the 1970’s.
The mineral wealth of our country is the cause of the mining movement that is said to be a big
help for the Philippines. Mining officials say that mining is the answer to the country’s poverty
and unemployment rate. Furthermore, mining operations usually happen in rural areas since
mineral resources are typically found in deep parts of land that are untouched and formed from
a long time ago. Minerals that are being mined are non-renewable resources, once used, it
cannot be used again. Although mining provides jobs, precious resources, and alleviates
poverty, it destroys the environment, affects the livelihood of the food producers, and harms the
ecology of the Philippines.

         According to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Systems (SWS) last March 2013,
there are 11.1 million jobless Filipinos. According to Wallace (2013), it is impossible to live
without mines and it helps to create thousands of jobs. A report by the Chamber of mining
claims that a projected LSM $15 billion investment will lead to 70,000 direct jobs that will make
350,000 other jobs and can potentially rise to 2,050,000 jobs by 2018. Recalculating those
numbers, 576,000 jobs are more likely to be produced. However, those numbers are still
subjective since it is still a project and something has yet to be materialized for that project to
take full effect. A short documentary film made by the ABS-CBN foundation (2011) tackling the
mining in Palawan had first-hand accounts with some of the natives of Palawan. Some of the
people who were interviewed are living in towns where mining operations are held. According to
some of the natives in the area, the people that they know are employed by the mining
companies in their town, but those people are yet to achieve the economic promise of mining.
The jobs that they were given do not pay well enough compared to what these workers have to
go through in their occupation. Mining is present in their town but many of them remain poor and
underemployed.

        Mining harnesses precious resources that are used in our everyday lives. The minerals
that are gathered by the mining operations are used in many materials across many industries
that run our world. According to Monsod (2012), mining cannot be done without affecting the
surroundings of the mining site. A farmer interviewed by ABS-CBN (2012) in their documentary
said that crop production is low since the arrival of mining operations in their area. Crop
production is said to be affected by the laterites extracted from the mines. Their rice production
before the mining companies came were 110 sacks a hectare, but when mining operations
began, rice production alarmingly decreased to only 50 sacks a hectare. That large depreciation
of rice production is very alarming and can be heavily attributed to mining even without scientific
observation. Another farmer said that rice variety back in 1990 were significantly taller than
when roads appeared in their area. Rice further decreased when mining companies came. The
shrinking of the rice variety made him feel lazy because for him there is no point in planting
anymore since production is low. In addition, farmers are not the only food producers affected
by the laterites brought by mining operations. Fishermen are also affected by the mining
operations in their area. An interview with a fisherman in the same documentary said that the
prawns caught recently in the lake were significantly smaller than the prawns from the previous
years. Many of them wanted to complain to an official but they do not know where to go or
whom to consult. Moreover, the cost of harnessing minerals, based on the first-hand accounts
of food producers, is greater than the revenue to be received from mining operations. The
destruction of lands and rivers are not worth the minerals extracted from the mines. It is such a
shame to think that the natives of the area who lived there for a long time are not the ones who
are benefiting from the land that they live in. Hence, with the destruction of the land and water, it
is hard to argue why they feel lazy or indolent to farm.

 Poverty is another problem that mining hopes to solve. A second quarter 2013 social
weather report conducted by the SWS reported that 49 percent of Filipinos said they were poor.
The 49 percent of Filipinos equate to 10.4 million families saying that they are experiencing
 poverty. Out of the 10.4 million unfortunate families, 8.5 million of those are food-poor in that
quarter. Mining companies include the alleviation of poverty in their mission statements and
making it their obligation to solve the economic problems of our country. With that in mind, the
question that should be asked is, “is it feasible?” Mining companies can do anything they please
about how their operations bring development in our country, but development is still to be felt in
the areas where the operations are held. Monsod (2012) says that the mining industry is correct
in saying that statistics do not establish causality, but questions still remain whether the claim
that mining improves the quality of life in its communities. Given what Monsod said, the
presence of mining in a community does not assure development and alleviation of poverty.
Mining companies do not pay high salaries nor does it give above standard employee benefits
to its miners. Mining is not different from other blue-collared jobs in the market. It still requires
manual labor and back breaking work. Miners work in hazardous mining sites with the hope of
lifting themselves from the poverty line. Furthermore, some of the farmers and fishermen from
the area who were struck by the laterites expounded by mining switched occupation and went to
mining. The destruction of their farmlands and fishponds compelled them to turn to mining
because they think it is the best way to earn more for themselves and their loved ones.
    Mining in the Philippines undoubtedly helps the country with minerals and jobs but it is
exaggerating to say that it is the way to development. Mining has long been present in our
country but genuine quality of life is yet to be achieved. The provinces where mining is present
are evidence to why mining cannot be called the way to development. Mining is not bad but it is
not good either. Absolute abolishment of mining is not needed but the strict control of mining
should be implemented. The minerals that are being extracted are non-renewable and cannot
be grown again. The damage done by mining operations leaves a mark for a long time. Thus,
beware to misleading and irresponsible mining here in the Philippines!
        References:
2013 Philippine unemployment rate rises, above 11 million are jobless - SWS, IBON.        (2013).
Retrieved August 20, 2013, from  http://www.thesummitexpress.com/2013/05/2013-philippine-
unemployment-rate-rises.html
ABS-CBN Foundation.  (2011). Save Palawan Movement Part 4. Retrieved August 20, 2013,
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m87BoZ3tN10
Dumlao, D & Alave, K. (2012). Manny Pangilinan: Mining is not the enemy, poverty is. Retrieved
August 20, 2013, from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/155113/manny-pangilinan-mining-is-not-the-
enemy-poverty-is#ixzz2br8qRXFq
Monsod, C. (2012). Mining is a social justice issue. (2012). Retrieved August 20, 2013, from
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/03/03/12/christian-monsod-mining-social-justice-issue

Poverty numbers unchanged, survey shows. (2013). Retrieved August 21, 2013, from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/459465/poverty-numbers-unchanged-survey-shows
Posted 1st September 2013 by Geo Origeneza

http://animogeo.blogspot.com/2013/09/mining-in-philippines-argumentative.html
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY WORKSHEET
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Conclusion
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