IT has come to my attention that you are reviewing the ban I had made on open pit mining while I was still Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In view of this, I am reiterating the reasons for the ban which I feel needs to be addressed and considered in your review:

The open pits are going to be there forever. After mining, the open pits need to be maintained forever. If the open pits are not detoxified and neutralized regularly, the acid water and toxic metals they are generating will continue to pollute our rivers, our streams, and adversely affect the lives of the communities living there. And because the miners will not stay there forever, Government will be left to shoulder the maintenance works. This means that the open pits will be a continuing financial liability to our Government.

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