IBALANGIBOG SA BILOG NA MUNDO, ORAGON AN BICOLANO! KAYA TA AN RESPONSABLENG PAGMIMINA SA RAPU-RAPU! THENEWSWEEK VOL. 1 NO. 4 JUNE 8 - 14, 2006 GOVERNMENT ALLOWS 30-DAY TEST RUN On June 13, 2006, the government released the long- awaited decision to allow the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Pro- ject a 30-day test run. DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes said that a temporary lifting order (TLO) will be issued to the company to resume operations. “Before, during and after the test run, certain conditions would have to be met,” he said. “After the co mpany complie s with all these condi- tions the final lifting order shall be issued to Lafayette for it to resume full operations.” Certain conditions were required by the government as fol- lows: 1. Payment of fines of P hp10.7 million; 2. Extension of the validity of sure ty bond; 3. Installation of a storm drainage c anal to prevent tailings from spilling over the dam in the event ofheavy rain; 4. Installation of a storm drainage c anal to prevent tailings from spilling over the dam in the event ofheavy rain; 5. Installation of dam monitoring instruments and emergency control mechanisms to prevent or minim ize dama ge in case of acci dent s duri ng the tes t run; 6. Openness of the test run to the public and commissio ning of third party experts to observe the trial; 7. Submission of a final mine decommissioning and reha- bilitation plan by December and depositing of the budget for the plan within six months of its being ap- proved; and 8. Conducting of regular samplings of water and tailings. Top management is confident that remedial measures under- taken will pass all tests and that after a successful test run, per- mission to resume full operations will be granted. Source: Phil. Daily Inquirer, June 13 First ever Philippine Flag ceremony at the mine site At a press statement regarding the simple flag ceremony, Mr. Sonny Dominguez, CEO and President of Lafayette Philip- pines, Inc., said that “This is a simple gesture but I am sure that it will go a long way. A fired up workforce will do its best for the company and all its stakeholders, especially the host communities.” Thus as the country celebrated its 108 th Year Anniversary ofIndependence, the Rapu-Rapu mine also marked its first year of Filipino management. The event was made more meaning- ful with a reenactment of history by Arnold Guadalupe who read the Declaration of Independence as Emilio Aguinaldo did 108 years ago. In the evening, at 7:00 pm, the movie: “Bayaning Third World” was shown. It featured the Life and Heroism of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. On Monday, June 12, at 7:00 am at the Basketball Court, the employees, contractors and subcontractors of the Rapu- Rapu Polymetallic proudly sang the Philippine National Anthem as the Philippine flag was hoisted over the Rapu- Rapu campsite. And thus was memorialized the first time ever that a Philippine flag ceremony was conducted at the project site. This ceremony will henceforth be conducted every Monday at 7:00 am.
