People living near 31 abandoned mining sites in the country are at risk of suffering from soil erosion and flooding, an official said.

Marcial Mateo of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau made the disclosure before the House Committee on Natural Resources’ hearing on House Resolutions 1530 and 1905 filed by Party-list Reps. Sharon Garin of Aambis-OWA and Ray-mond Palatino of Kabataan seeking inquiry on the hazards of abandoned mining sites.

“Of the 31 abandoned, inactive and closed mines throughout the country, only that in Bagacay, western Samar is being rehabilitated through a loan from the World Bank. And mine rehabilitation is not an assurance that the problem of erosion or flooding will be addressed,” Mateo told before the House panel.

This disclosure prompted Rep. Francisco Matugas of Surigao del Norte province, chairman of the House Natural Resources panel, to ask Mateo to submit a report on the status of funds intended for mine rehabilitation.

Under his House Resolution 1905, Palatino cited the study made in 2001 by the US-based environmental consultancy firm Tetra Tech EM Inc., which identified the 21 abandoned mining sites which they said pose environmental and health risks.

Tetra Tech EM Inc. identified the abandoned mining sites as Acoje Mining Co. Inc. in Sta. Cruz, Zambales province; Barlo Mining Corp. in Mabini, Pangasinan province; Batong Buhay Gold Mines Inc. in Pasil, Kalinga town; Benguet Corp.-Antamok Mines in Itogon, Benguet province; Benguet Consolidated Mining Corp. in Itogon, Ben-guet; Benguet Corp.-Dizon Copper/Gold Mines in San Marcelino, Zambales province; Masinloc Chro-mite Mines-Benguet Corp. in Ma-sinloc, Zambales; Benguet Exploration Mine in Tuba, Benguet; Black Mountain Inc. in Tuba, Benguet; Filminera Resources Corp., formerly Banahaw Mining and Development Corp. in Rosario and Bunawan, Agusan del Sur province; CDCP-Basay Mine in Basay, Negros province; Ino and Capayang Mines in Mogpog, Marinduque province; Heritage Mining Corp. and Alamag Processing Group in Llorente, Eastern Samar province; Hixbar Gold Mining in Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay province; Romblon Marble Mining in Romblon province; Palawan Quicksilver Mines in Palawan province; Philippine Iron Mines in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte province; Philippine Pyrite Corp. in Bagacay, Samar province; Silica Sand Mine in Palawan; Surigao Consolidated Mining Co. Inc. in Siana and Mapawa, Surigao del Norte province; United Paragon Mining Corp. in Paracale, Camarines Norte and Vulcan Mining Corp. in Cordon, Isabela province.