Miners vow support to environmental campaign

By Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star) | Updated September 18, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/09/18/1624779/miners-vow-support-environmental-campaign

MANILA, Philippines - Despite criticisms from the government, mining stakeholders vowed to continue doing its share in the intense environmental protection and enhancement thrust of the administration.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) has maintained that its members would ensure participation and support to the priority programs of the Duterte administration.

In the first organizational meeting of the House Committee on Natural Resources, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)  bared its environment protection plans in the next six years.

These include the enhanced National Greening Program (NGP); forest protection; responsible mining program; Clean Air Act; campaign for clean water; solid waste management; and protection of biodiversity to promote social enterprise.

“We see valuable opportunities for our members to continue helping government in its environment programs and beyond with this direction of the DENR,” COMP executive vice president Nelia Halcon said.

The chamber remains to be one of the country’s biggest private sector contributor to the NGP through mining firms’ forestation efforts.

Data showed that COMP planted 20 million trees from 2011 to 2014, covering and average forest density of 500 trees per hectare with an aggregated 40,156 hectares.

COMP said its members practice coastal management to ensure the integrity of bodies of water and protect marine life in their mining jurisdictions.

Halcon said the chamber targets to promote inclusive businesses to uplift host communities through partnerships with the Department of Trade and Industry and non-government organization Go Negosyo.

“Inclusive business is a sustainable business that benefits low-income communities. It is a business initiative that, keeping its for-profit nature, contributes to poverty reduction through the inclusion of low-income communities in its value chain,” she said.

“COMP members will continue to partner with the different line agencies in our commitment to promote the welfare of the country and help government achieve genuine change,” Halcon said.