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Volume III, No. 07 Official Publication of the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project April 1-15, 2010

RRPP medical mission reaches 1,004 residents

ON CALL. Dr. Vergara looks after a patient from Barangay TInopan.
Over a thousand residents of the six impact barangays of Malobago,
Binosawan, Pagcolbon, Sta. Barbara, Linao, and Tinopan welcomed
the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project’s (RRPP) recently concluded medi-
cal mission. Those who availed of the free medical service and medi-
cines represent approximately 47% of the combined population of the
six impact barangays which stood at 2,136 residents as of the latest
count in 2010.
Barangay Binosawan, the largest impact barangay, registered the
most number of patients at 223. Sta. Barbara, the smallest Barangay, regis-
tered the least at 73 but proved to be the most welcoming of all, as this num-
ber represented more than 60% of the total number of residents.
The medical team was headed by Dr. Domingo Vergara and included
two midwives, one nurse, and a medical aide. It took them five days to com-
plete the medical mission.
They found that upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) was the
most common ailment, especially among children. Other health problems
detected were Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) / Avitaminosis, Primary Com-
plex, Hypertension (all stages), and parasitism. (...see page 2)

LGU -RRMI partnership benefits 225

undernourished children in Poblacion Mining Project still Top Employer
More than half of all undernourished children increased in
weight under a feeding program currently being implemented by the
Barangay Council of Poblacion in partnership with Rapu-Rapu Miner-
als, Inc. (RRMI). The three-month community-based daily feeding program
aims to reduce cases of malnutrition in Barangay Poblacion, Rapu-Rapu,
Albay where at least 225 undernourished children from ages two to seven
years were identified.
The project was initiated by the Barangay Council of Poblacion un-
der the leadership of Captain Rolando Alvarez through Resolution No. 40-
2009 that reads, …”earnestly requesting for a financial assistance from
Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc (RRMI) … for continuous process of feeding pro- Combined Copper and Zinc
gram ...for the malnourished children of Barangay Poblacion, Rapu-Rapu,
Albay.” As a result, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed be- Concentrates Loaded for 1st Time
tween Captain Alvarez and RRMI President Roger E. Corpus and the feed-
ing program commenced on February 15, 2010. (...see page 2)

Cargo Vessel MV HeXie 6 “Tarawa” during the loading of concentrates at

the Rapu-Rapu Ecozone at Pagcolbon, Rapu-Rapu, Albay.

The weight of children beneficiaries are monitored monthly under the

program’s Operation Timbang.

Harnessing God-given resources for the sustainable

development of our community and country
EDITORIAL BOARD : Public Relations & Corporate Affairs Department
www.rapu-rapumining.com PUBLISHER : Rapu-Rapu Minerals Inc.
Volume III, No. 07 page 2 The Island Newsweek April 1-15, 2010
From page 1…. RRPP medical mission reaches 1,004 residents
In addition to the series of medical missions conducted annually,
DepEd visitors impressed with RRPP
RRPP provides medical and dental services to local residents at its on-site clinic. An
average of six residents a day from the impact barangays avail of these services at
the site clinic. March recorded one of the highest number of consultations with 190
residents requiring medical and dental attention during that month. Like the medical
missions, consultations at the camp site and medicines are provided to the commu-
nity for free.
During the first quarter of 2010, the camp clinic treated 550 residents. Thus
for the quarter that just ended, RRPP provided medical and dental services to 1,554
patients from the community at its camp clinic and by way of the medical mission.
The recent medical mission is the first in the series for the year 2010. The
activity is conducted every quarter among the six impact barangays under the com-
Seeing is believing. Mobile teachers from Department of Education-
pany’s Social Development Management Program (SDMP) as mandated by the
Alternative Learning Systems at RRPP’s open pit viewing grounds.
1995 Mining Act.
Impressed by the safety standards and environmental measures imple-
From page 1…. LGU-RRMI feeding program… mented by the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP), all nine representatives
To prepare for the program, the children went through de-worming treat- from the Department of Education (DepEd) highly recommended a visit to the
ment and were given a thorough medical check-up by the Provincial Health Officer project site in Pagcolbon, Rapu-Rapu, Albay “...so that they may have a picture of
at the Rapu-Rapu District Hospital. They were weighed prior to and during the feed- whatever is going on within the mining site - seeing is believing,” GP Garreon, one
ing program on a monthly basis by nine Barangay Nutrition scholars (BNS) who of the visitors, said. “I want to know the process, how they secure the safety of the
also conducted the daily feeding with the help of mothers at the Barangay hall five people and how the people benefit from the project,” requested Gwylln Santillan, De-
days a week. RRMI assisted in monitoring and evaluating the program. pEd mobile teacher.
Recognizing malnutrition as a major social problem, RRPP, through the Having personally seen the mine facilities such as the base metal plant, envi-
Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP), partners with LGU and ronmental ponds, tailings pond, and the open pit, visitors were eager tp express their
other organizations to implement feeding projects in Rapu-Rapu. This effort is in opinions. “I was impressed by the environmental compliance practiced by the com-
consonance with the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of pany,” commented Gerimond Lladoc, another mobile teacher.
eradicating poverty and hunger. In 2009, Dr. Nicolas Alipui, head of UNICEF- The visitors, composed of six mobile teachers, a volunteer, a nurse, and an
Philippines, reported that further efforts are needed as “child malnutrition had re- education supervisor, are educators conducting Alternative Learning Systems (ALS)
mained at 30 percent for over a decade.” instructions in the Albay Province including the island municipality of Rapu-Rapu un-
The first feeding program supported by RRPP was an in-school feeding der the Department of Education.
Recently, the site was also visited by representatives from the Legazpi City
program throughout the 35 elementary schools in the municipality of Rapu-Rapu
Local Government Unit headed by Mayor Noel Rosal, some of the city’s council
that reached 6, 727 school children in 2006/2007.
members and staff, and mining and chemical engineering students and teachers
from the Bicol University (BU). These visits earned the company positive responses.

WORDMINE
Try to mine out 10 words being described
by the items listed below by coloring the
letters that make up the word.
During his visit, Mayor Rosal commented that …the mine “ is full of promise for our
province.” BU instructor Miguel Cano was pleased with the “strict compliance to
rules, esp for safety purposes…” and that he had no negative impressions to make
although he …”used to have a lot during Lafayette days …”
The recently resumed site visit program 2010 was initiated by the company
in 2006 to provide visitors first-hand experience of the mine site and to inform and
educate them about its mining operations, environment and safety measures and
socio-economic programs for the communities. Since then, over a thousand visitors
have come to the site, giving the project an opportunity to demonstrate responsible
mining at work to its stakeholders.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

1. Barangay with most number of medical consultations onsite. 8 letters

2. Doctor who headed the medical mission. 7 letters
3. Certification earned by RRPP for its environmental policies. 3 letters
4. A voluntary program implemented along with SDMP. 4 letters
5. Cargo vessel that loaded the latest shipment. 6 letters
6. Agency of the latest site visitors. 5 letters
7. Common name for mineral symbol Cu. 6 letters
8. Information, Communication and Education. 3 letters
9. Common name for the mineral symbol Zn. 4 letters
10. Program covering the six impact barangays. 4 letters
Clue: What is the alchemy symbol for Copper?
The first five persons to submit completely-answered
wordmine box to James at the PRCA Department Of-
fice will win cool RRPP umbrellas. Names of winners
will be published in the next issue.