This is very timely especially since the Philippines is re-launching its new tourism campaign. I am not against mining per se, but mining in an archipelago — one of the centers of the world’s biodiversity — is like taking away our core competence when in fact eco-tourism is so scarce nowadays we’re one of the few countries that the world is willing to spend $$$ on to get here. And when I say “here” it’s not Manila. It’s the islands.
What happens to the signatures? It will be sent to PNOY as they finalize the deliberations for the future of the economy. If you’re pro-tourism, then the Philippines has a special type of tourism tied to its environment.