Mining Industries? Is it a friend or a Foe?

Mining is one of the industries here in the Philippines. It is where large number of Filipino families earns a living especially those who live at the rural areas. Many issues nowadays began to show up regarding the mining industries in the Philippines, like the passing of different ordinances regarding Anti-mining. Does mining help us? Is mining good or bad? What are its effects to our society? These are some of the questions in my mind regarding to the issue of mining industry in the Philippines.

Mining industries have both good and bad sides. The good effects of mining are; it provides employment to those people who are unemployed. As a result, there will be a job to those people especially the ones who live in the rural areas. Next, it gives a large profit to the company and contributes to the economy of a country. On the other hand, mining has its bad sides. First, there will be deforestation. As a result, flash floods and landslides may happen. Mining also contributes to pollution especially in the bodies of water, because the chemicals coming from the mining site go immediately to the bodies of water like seas and rivers. And it threatens the lives of the people living near or working at the mining site. There is always a possibility of landslides especially when the rain pours hard. To avoid such problems, the Local Government of Davao passed an ordinance that bans mining within the city. I think the local government made a right choice of passing an ordinance regarding this. Even though mining industry helps many people regarding money, still you should think of your safety first. What will be the sense of earning salaries in this type of work when there is a high possibility of danger in your part? Think about your family who depends on you.

Mining operations should be stopped. We don’t want to see our environment being destroyed. We also don’t want to see other people suffer because of the danger of entering this kind of thing. We must help one another to stop this before it’s too late.