By
Jonathan L. Mayuga - August 6, 2018
Secretary Roy A. Cimatu
of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Monday
told mining companies to “shape up,” as he bared plans to come up with a new
set of guidelines that will usher in a “new era” of mining in the country.
Cimatu issued the
statement as he bared some of the more significant findings of the review teams
that submitted their respective reports to the Mining Industry Coordinating
Council (MICC) recently.
The DENR chief had
earlier verified the claim of the Department of Finance (DOF) that only four of
the mining companies reviewed by the MICC review teams failed the audit.
In a news statement,
Cimatu said the review specified major reforms are needed, citing, for
instance, the inadequate mine tailings pond and the very slow rehabilitation of
“disturbed” mined areas.
“Mining companies need
to shape up. The review specified [that] major reforms [are] needed, for
example, on inadequate mine tailings pond and the very slow rehabilitation of
the disturbed mined areas,” he said.
Cimatu said the
review also pointed to unacceptable practices regarding stockpile areas, the
location of tailings storage facilities and dumping of toxic and
hazardous waste.
“They have to address
all of these issues or they will be closed,” Cimatu added.
According to Cimatu,
the MICC, which he cochairs with Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III,
adopted the report of the MICC technical review teams.
The “objective
fact-finding and science-based review” covered the performance of 27 mining
companies, which were issued suspension by former Environment Secretary Regina
Paz L. Lopez in February 2017.
The review covered 19
nickel mines, three gold and gold and copper mines, three chromite mines and
two magnetite/iron mines.
It assessed the mining
companies’ practices in terms of legal, technical, environmental, social
and economic aspects. The review also measured the companies’ practices
as acceptable (3.0), minor corrections needed (2.0), major reforms needed (1.0)
and not acceptable (0).
Upon the MICC’s
adoption of the report, it is now the task of the DENR to determine the
actions on the motion for reconsideration filed by 13 mining companies on the
suspension and cancellation orders slapped against them.
“We will definitely use
the comprehensive report made by the MICC review teams in evaluating whether or
not a mining company should continue to operate. However, I am inclined to put
more premium on the environmental considerations in the mining operations,”
Cimatu said.
Cimatu cited the
directive of President Duterte in his State of the Nation Address (Sona), where
he emphasized that in the utilization of natural resources, environmental
protection is non-negotiable and is a top priority.
Meanwhile, Cimatu said
the Philippines is entering a new era of doing mining.
“This is definitely a
new era of doing mining in the country. We are serious about reinventing
mining in the Philippines,” he said.
He added: “As the
President said, he is more concerned with the actual benefits to the people,
not just the government revenues to be generated by the mining industry.”
The DENR chief said
that the innovative and sustainable practices of some mining firms that may be
adopted or replicated to other sites should also be recognized.
On the part of the DENR
and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Cimatu affirmed that they will
have to implement radical policy changes, including the strengthening
of monitoring and permitting functions; and improve the review of the
technical, financial, environmental and social feasibility of mining.
“You will expect new
administrative guidelines from the DENR to operationalize these
reforms. The mining industry is in deep need of radical change. And,
to reiterate the message of the President in his Sona, the people of the
Philippines must benefit first and foremost from the utilization of the
country’s mineral resources.” Cimatu said.
The report of the MICC
will be submitted by the DENR to the President, including the actions taken on
the mining companies that were ordered suspended and canceled.
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