posted June 30, 2016 at 11:30 pm by The Standard Business
hitting-30b.htmlAgusan del Norte
Gov. Angel Amante-Matba said Thursday she will personally assist President
Rodrigo Duterte in weeding out irresponsible miners in the province.
Amante-Matba issued the statement in
reaction to Duterte’s recent pronouncement that mining companies must comply
with international environmental standards or face the risk of sanctions.
“For a province tagged as one of the
country’s mining hotspots, our people and land will benefit from the strict
measures to be implemented by the incoming president,” she said.
Amante-Matba assured the government
that mining operations in her province were operated and managed by responsible
miners. She urged the new administration to assist her in setting up a more
stringent regulatory mechanism to pursue best practices among mining companies
operating in her province.
The governor also called on
companies, inlcuding or small mining operators, to heed Duterte’s warning to
shape up or face severe sanctions or closure.
She expressed her gratitude on the
Duterte’s declaration that there would be no ban on mining as long as it
followed international environmental protection standards.
“Banning mining operations will
certainly create a huge economic setback to a lot of people not only in Agusan
province but the whole of Caraga region,” she said.
The Chamber of Mines of the
Philippines, meanwhile, said the mining industry would infuse about $20 billion
to $30 billion into the economy over the next five to 10 years with he
inclusion of several new projects.
CoMP said investments this year were
expected to reach $2.25 billion on new projects. Expected to be operational
this year are those of Asiaticus Mining Corp. in Davao Oriental and Global
Ferronickel Holdings Inc. in Palawan.
CoMP said mining investments next
year would reach $6 billion due to the start of operations of Philex Mining
Corp.’s Silangan project in Surigao del Norte, Nadecor’s Kingking project in
Davao del Norte and the Balabag Gold-Silver project of TVI Resource Development
Philippines Inc.
Projects that are expected to
operate in 2018 are the Tampakan mine development of Sagitarius Mines in South
Cotobato, Intex Resources in Mindoro, the Masbate gold project of Philsaga
Mining Corp., nickel mine of San Miguel Corp. through Philnico in Surigao del
Sur and the Balatoc mines of Benguet Corp. Investments from these
companies are expected to reach $14.75 billion.
CoMP said the sole project expected
in 2019 is that of Far South East Gold of Lepanto Mining Corp. in Benguet,
which is expected to cost about $2 billion.
“Members of the Chamber of Mines of
the Philippines vow to work for the national interest by fulfilling our
obligations as prescribed by the law; by promoting the development of rural and
indigenous communities and by complementing the delivery of government’s social
services in education, health, livelihood and infrastructure,” CoMP said. With
Anna Leah E. Gonzales
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