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Council okays mine venture

TAMPAKAN, SOUTH COTABATO -- Members of the municipal council have endorsed the Tampakan copper-gold project of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc., an official said

Vice-Mayor Relly A. Leysa, municipal council presiding officer, told BusinessWorld last week that six councilors recently voted to endorse the project, four were against it, and one abstained.
For his part, John B. Arnaldo, Sagittarius Mines corporate communications manager, said the “company could not confirm whether or not the Tampakan local government unit has endorsed the Tampakan Project through a.(municipal council) resolution.”
“We have not yet received an official communication from the Tampakan LGU (local government unit) regarding this,” he said.
The approval came amid unresolved concerns. “The 10 issues raised by the [municipal council] as an institution before the company have not been resolved yet the majority decided to give its go signal for the mining project,” Mr. Leysa said.
Key issues earlier raised in the council included the final identification of land occupants in the final mine area, local prioritization of employment and business opportunity, absence of detailed rehabilitation and mine decommissioning plan, financial regime (indicative share of Tampakan town) and relocation issues. A copy of the council resolution endorsing the Tampakan project was not immediately available although a committee of the whole report dated last April 11 recommended the passage of such measure. -- Romer S. Sarmiento