The problem with such a stance is that the people most probably going to oppose and/or be most affected by mining are the people who will be displaced by mining, the people who will suffer the pollution caused by mining, and the future generations that would have to deal with the effects of mining in the fragile ecosystem of the center of water biodiversity in the world. The benefits accrue to the country but as shown by 100 years of incompetent/corrupt leaders these resources are best left underground. We must not be swayed by simple cost benefit analysis because not everything can be easily measured or easily priced. When something cannot be priced accurately or even priced at something akin to accurate how can an acceptable cost benefit analysis be made.
The government owes the nation a BENEFIT versus COST accounting. Based on past experience, it would appear that neither the Filipinos near the mining site nor the nation at large really benefit from mining. The people must be told what they will pay in the short and long term for all these mining activities. The people should know how many Filipinos will really benefit from these mining operations and what is going to be the cost of environmental degradation and loss of natural resources that our nation will pay.
Let the people know the real score and after that – let them decide if they want mining.
via Should it be YES or NO to mining? – AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo | The Philippine Star >> News >> Opinion.