Biting the bullet

The tragic accident at the coal mine operated by Semirara Mining and Power Corp. is a classic case of the nation being caught between a rock and a hard, unyielding place.

Because of continuous rains for several days, the Panian open pit at the mining site in Caluya, Antique, collapsed on July 17 and buried nine workers, eight of whose bodies were recovered early this week. This is the second accident involving the Philippines’ only large-scale coal producer since 2013—another bitter reminder of the perils of mining and the steep price it exacts in terms of human life and the environment.

According to the World Coal Association, coal mining raises a number of environmental challenges, including soil erosion, dust, noise and water pollution, as well as negative impacts on local biodiversity. The possible harm on surface and ground water, soil, local land use, native vegetation and wildlife population cannot be discounted as well. Subsidence, or the sinking of land as a result of coal being extracted from beneath, is another very real consequence.

Citing such environmental hazards, green groups have expectedly clamored for the shutdown of the Semirara mine, whose operations have temporarily been suspended, correctly, by the Department of Energy pending a thorough inquiry into the accident. At this writing, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was to suspend the mine’s environmental compliance certificate.

Mining, particularly coal mining, is a complicated issue that straddles many gray areas and raises moral dilemmas that provoke much debate on what is and what ought to be. On one hand, there’s no ignoring the hazards posed by mining to life and limb and the environment, as well as the inevitable exhaustion of resources. On the other hand, “dirty” coal also provides one of the cheapest and most accessible sources of energy to fuel Philippine industries. In fact, according to business sources, the Semirara mine meets at least 90 percent of the country’s power needs.

There seems little choice at this time but to turn to coal given that the costs of alternative and sustainable energy sources like solar and hydroelectric plants are too prohibitive for commercial use. And biofuels need more research before they can be harnessed widely and economically.

It’s no surprise that the bereaved families—along with Caluya officials—are themselves bucking the closure of the mine, arguing that it has been providing jobs for at least 2,000 workers in the community. What other jobs could the menfolk hope to get on this remote island, the families must be thinking as they welcome the company’s largesse in the face of the tragedy. The support and offer of assistance include P1 million in damages to each of the nine dead miners’ families, scholarships up to college for their children, housing…

Mining thus remains a crutch to the Philippines’ economic progress despite its active participation in global forums on climate change. The irony notwithstanding, and the nation having bitten the bullet, some safeguards to minimize the chances of yet another mining disaster have to be put in place.

For a start, a speedy, thorough and independent inquiry into the accident that must get to the root of the problem and include inputs from the environment, energy and labor departments to put miners’ safety in focus is required. These agencies must study the operations of coal mines abroad and learn lessons on ensuring a balance between profit and safety, between profit and nature’s sustainability.

Better and more safety measures must be put in place, including warning devices as foolproof as the proverbial “canary in the mine.”

To minimize the environment’s degradation, mining operators must carefully preplan their projects, implement pollution control measures, monitor the effects of operations and rehabilitate mined areas.

When, inevitably, a mining site’s resources are exhausted and the mine moves out, company officials must make sure that the host communities are able to support themselves. To this end, mine companies must provide not only jobs but also sustainable livelihood skills.

For its part, the government must make sure that diligent research is pursued in search of cleaner, cheaper and more efficient fuels that can become viable alternatives to today’s costly power sources.

It’s long way to go, but when will the Philippines take the first imperative steps?