Semirara Mining operations to be assessed by government

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) | Updated August 15, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/08/15/1613428/semirara-mining-operations-be-assessed-government

MANILA, Philippines - Operations of Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp. will be assessed by a government team after the country’s biggest coal miner was included in the hit list of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), its top official said.

Semirara chairman and CEO Isidro Consunji said in a text message the company met with the Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Environment Secretary Gina Lopez on separate occasions last week and discussed the company’s compliance with safety and environment regulations.

“We have met both secretaries separately…We have answered them verbally,” he said, noting their meeting with the DENR secretary “went well.”

During their meetings, Consunji said they expressed to the Cabinet secretaries the company was strictly complying with safety and environment rules.

“The company is compliant with requirements (and) we are prepared to help host the community as always,” he said.

Following the meetings, the DOE and DENR will send a team to look at the operations of Semirara in Antique.

“They will form a team to look at allegations,” Consunji said.

DENR is responsible for the issuance of environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) while the DOE’s mandate includes monitoring energy resource developers.

Last week, Lopez gave three firms—Semirara, Sagittarius Mines Inc. and Century Communities Corp.—an ultimatum of seven days to explain the alleged violations or face the suspension of their ECC.

For Semirara, in particular, a show cause order will be issued to explain why violations were committed based on complaints of the local communities in Antique.

The agency said the coal miner’s violations include degradation of water quality, siltation of marine environment, damage of coral areas, presence of toxic contaminants in the water, displacement of local residents and unsafe working conditions of workers, among others.

In a letter dated Aug. 12, the DOE wrote to Semirara ordering it to explain in writing the collateral issues such as toxic waste, sulfur content, mining overburden, land-grabbing and livelihood raised by DENR within 48 hours.

The DOE said the company’s “strict compliance to their obligations stated on the Environmental Compliance Certificate is critical to the stability of the coal supply requirements of the country.”

Semirara has exclusive rights to explore, extract and develop the largest coal mine in the country located in Semirara Island in Antique province.

It supplies 90 percent of the coal produced in the country, and coal share in the power industry is about 30 percent.