Good evening your honors ladies and gentlemen.

Our team submits humbly that mining is not practicable.

Yes, there are good things to say about mining which is good for local communities and the country as a
whole.

First, let us talk about the hazard and the profit.

Of course, there is money in mining where health is no longer a concern.

The use of mercury and cyanide in ore processing. These chemicals, which are supposed to be restricted,
are freely handled with little regard for basic safety equipment. Children, as participants in the
processing of ores, are exposed to these health hazards. (Baluda 14)

Mercury, as a product of mining processes, easily gets dispersed in the aquatic environment and
ingested by bacteria. These bacteria convert mercury into the more lethal methyl mercury. The chemical
is transferred when the bacteria are ingested by other organisms. And the Domino effect follows at the
end which would affect different industries and our economy.

In Mindanao for instance, Broad and Cavanaugh estimated that 26 t of mercury is being disposed
annually into the regions’s major river systems as a result of amalgamation operations (Lanticse, et al.
17). .

Next, Since mining employs primitive technology, tunnels have poor ventilation. Body odors from the
workers and sooty smoke from the pine torches not only create an unpleasant working atmosphere, but
also exposes the workers to serious respiratory ailments and accidents (Padilla, “Indigenous” 47). III.
With this, there is a poor and in humane working conditions.

Thus, the hazard outweighs the profit or is it the other way around. The question though, if it is all worth
it.

Next, Mining is good for the economy. But let us talk about the Long Term ,considering minerals as non
renewable resource. Whether or Not if there is future in mining.

Historically, mining has been a major and a significant contributor to the country’s economy, despite of
the decline of the industry’s mineral production in the late 1990’s.
Indeed, after its long history of existence and practice in the country, small-scale mining failed to
develop into a full-bloom national mining industry. It is very much part of the rural or peasant economy,
mainly acting as a livelihood source in the countrysides.

According to PSA, The progress of the mining industry in the Philippines is proceeding at an extremely
slow pace in 2014, posting a modest growth, contributing just 0.9% to national GDP. The data here is for
large scale mining with all the technologies available yet their contribution to our country is minimal.

Lastly, what makes mining not practicable is the process of extraction.

Although there are claims that small scale mining is more environment-friendly than large-scale mining,
the inefficient technologies and the wider geographic distribution of small-scale mining communities
may cause greater environmental impacts than what we expect (Baluda 14).

Just like the agricultural sector, the practice is still largely artisanal, practiced by a vast number of
Filipinos. The mining technology and techniques employed by miners remain simple and crude.

In summary, mining is not practicable. After all these years, the existing laws covering the development
of mining and the protection of miners’ welfare, were insufficient in developing the industry. The GDP
numbers wont lie and so am I. Thank You.

Questions.

1. You made mention about sustainability, Is the industry worth sustaining knowing that minerals
are non renewable resources?
2. Is it fair for the future generations that we are the ones who profited from the minerals and left
nothing for them?
3. Are there other industries in the economy that we can focus on other than mining?
4. If you were to choose between agriculture and mining