PARTIDO Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson vowed to create a special program and funding for indigenous peoples or IPs who fall victim to irresponsible mining.

Lacson expressed support to responsible and sustainable mining, which could help boost the country economically as it continues to recover from the Covid19 pandemic.

He said that irresponsible mining was another offshoot of the corruption in government that he aims to eradicate.

President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the ban on mining in a bid to raise more revenues and help the country recover from the pandemic.

The senator said indigenous peoples such as members of tribes in Cordillera were suffering from irresponsible mining.

“’Yung program sa IPs dahil sila naman ‘yung nandoon, sila naman ‘yung nagsa-suffer, ‘pag iniwanan na ng mga irresponsible mining firm ‘yung pinabayaang environment at ang nagsa-suffer in the long-term ‘yung IPs,” Lacson said.

“I think there should be a program to attend to the needs of the IPs, particularly ‘yung long-term. Dapat mayroong naka-set aside na pondo for the protection of the environment,” he added.

“Ang problema hindi responsible mining but because of the proliferation of small-scale mining. Ito ‘yung kung susundin natin ang batas, pick and shovel, pero big machineries na ‘yung ginagamit sa pagma-mining,” stressed Lacson.

Although the Philippine mining industry only contributed some P189-billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP, Lacson pointed out it had great potential with the reported trillions of dollars’ worth of mineral wealth just underneath the ground waiting to be brought up responsibly.

“Especially now na, ‘di ba, papunta na sa electric cars, electric battery cars na ‘yung ano… Kailangan ng mga nickel at saka ibang mga minerals, and we have more than enough to mine,” the lawmaker said.

Lacson said the government should continue to push for sustainable mining “in the sense that it will be used to improve the economic condition of our country.”