Celebrating 225 Years of Service

Four Sisters Celebrate their 50th Anniversary
The afternoon of June 3, 2007 found the OLM sisters, associates, friends and family gathered for a special event. As Sr. Frances Brady noted in her words of welcome, we were celebrating 225 years of mission. Read Full Story.

Mining Nightmare

Mining site of TVI Resource Dev’t Philippines, Inc. in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte
Photo taken: August 4, 2007
Contributed Photo



Brown-colored Canatuan Creek, which originates from the mining site of TVI Resource Dev’t Philippines, Inc., collides with greenish-colored Libuan River
Photo taken: August 4, 2007

Photo of the collapsed sulphide dam of TVI Resource Dev’t Philippines, Inc. in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte
Photo taken: July 12, 2007
Contributed Photo


Mine Owners: TVI Pacific, a Canadian-owned firm operating a gold mining project in Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

Despite serious opposition from the indigenous people from this part of the Philippines this mining operation continues to mine. The company touted itself as a responsible safe mining corporation, but these pictures testify to the real truth. Sometime this summer its sulphide tailing dam was breached resulting in severe environmental damage, and untold suffering for the local people. Timuay Boy Anoy, leader of the Subanon people whose sacred mountain Canatuan has been affected by TVI operations said that the MPSA was granted despite the absence of genuine consent among the indigenous peoples of the affected area. "And this expansion area has been rejected by the local residents, and there is no free, prior and informed consent as far as we are concerned," Anoy said.

"This only exposes the rhetoric of responsible mining that TVI flaunts," added Jo Villaneuva, Executive Director of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc. (LRC), a member of ATM. "Despite numerous and unrelenting efforts to brandish its Siocon operations as a model mining operation, it is instead proven to be violating proper environmental standards and putting the local communities at risk." Read Full account: Inside Mindanao