Regionwide transport strike today Volume VI, No. 225
Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com
Monday
February 27, 2017
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MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Huge but dead. Residents of Purok 5, Poblacion, Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands gather on Friday (February 24, 2017) near a decomposing sea creature that was beached last Wednesday (February 22, 2017). MindaNews photo by Roel N. Catoto
Protesters: ‘We are ready to fight you...’
Rally greets Lopez
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By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor
UTUAN City--Pro-mining protesters on Saturday greeted Environment Secretary Gina Lopez anew at the Balanghai Hotel where she had a meeting and consultation with local officials in mining communities of Caraga region. Some 3,000 protesters mostly mining workers and their dependents also coming from the mining communities in the region massed outside the façade of the hotel where they took turns in airing their gripes against the closure of mining companies and opposition to her appointment as cabinet secretary. Inside the hotel, Lopez made a presentation See greets, page 11
LARGE WHALE. The carcass of the large whale washed ashore in Cadianao town in Dinagat Island has drawn many local residents before it was buried on Friday. Photo by Chris Panganiban for Mindanao Daily News
Mayor wants to preserve skeleton of large whale as tourist attraction By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN Contributing Editor
CADIANAO, Province of Dinagat Island--- Mayor Adolfo Longos of this town want to preserve the huge whale carcass that washed ashore at a beach here
on Wednesday which he believed would offer a new tourist attraction in this sleepy mining town. “The large whale washed ashore within our town so we have the right to preserve it as a new tourist attraction,” Longos said as he assured proper documentation will be done to prevent
the sad experience of town officials of Bunawan in Agusan del Sur who failed to bring back the remains of Lolong, the world’s largest crocodile in captivity. Longos said it was the second whale that was seen in his town See preserve, page 11
Impact of mining crackdown on jobs, exports, supply chain feared THE head of the umbrella organization of Filipino exporters is expressing the group’s “strong concern” over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) directive to shut down 75 more mining firms, warning of serious economic repercussions as this will threaten jobs, the supply chain, and export growth. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr., president of the
Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT), said the group is highly alarmed by the new order of Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to cancel 75 more mining contracts. This comes on the heels of her earlier order on February 2 to close 23 others and suspend five mining firms that are deemed destructive to the environment. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. stressed that PHILEXPORT supports sustainable and responsible mining, but warned See feared, page 11