ENVIRONMENT Secretary Lito Atienza will meet with executives of some of the world’s giant mining companies to encourage more mining investments in the Philippines during the Asia Mining Congress to be held this week in Singapore.

Atienza, who leads the country’s delegation to the Mining Congress, will deliver a keynote speech during the event and is expected to talk on key developments in the industry, including the policy reforms and the headways made by the government since launching the mining revitalization program of the Arroyo administration.

He is also expected to highlight the initiatives made by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in addressing local mining issues through more active stakeholder engagements.

Ranking state mining and environment ministers from the Asean region, mining CEOs, global investors and other key industry stakeholders will attend the five-day event.

Atienza, together with a delegation composed of government and private-sector officials left the country Monday.  

The Mining Congress is Asia’s biggest annual conference which showcases the Philippines and nine other mineral-rich countries in the region, namely, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, as some of the best mining destinations in world.

The Philippines has identified mining as one of the critical sectors in stimulating economic growth and development.

It has projected the industry to generate $10 billion in investments by 2010, and expects 2008 to be the banner year for the industry as seven more projects come on stream by the end of the year.

Since launching the revitalization program for mining in 2004, the government has generated some $1.4 billion in investments and created more than 6,500 jobs from 63 mining and exploration projects in the country.

Joining Atienza from the government are Minerals Development Council Executive Director Ramon Paje, and Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio C. Ramos. 

The private sector is headed by Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and Asean Federation of Mining Associations president Philip Romualdez, who is also presenting regulatory updates for foreign mining companies looking to operate in the Philippines. 

Also attending and delivering presentations on their respective experiences in the Philippines are top executives of Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), Indophil Resources, Royalco, OceanaGold and CGA Resources.

On top of its regular program, the Asia Mining Congress is also launching this year the Sustainability Awards to recognize the achievements and commitments of Asia’s mining industry toward sustainable development, where SMI’s Tampakan Copper Project is a nominee in the Community Development category.

FOOD exporters asked the Philippine government to allow the duty-free importation of equipment and inputs used in agricultural production for 10 years as one way of ensuring food security and spurring local and foreign investments in the farm sector.

A LEGISLATOR urged his colleagues to speed up passage of the National Land Use Act included in the five-point action plan of Speaker Prospero Nograles to address the rising cost and limited supply of rice and achieve genuine food security.

DAVAO CITY—The construction of the P420-million Davao Port expansion project to accommodate larger export-bound ships, is expected to be finished ahead of schedule, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) here said.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) official disclosed that recent survey conducted by the DOLE’s Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) showed that managers, establishment, owners and top executives of private establishments in the country encountered recruitment difficulties as they searched for good experienced staff.

BUSINESSMAN William Gatchalian is partnering with a Macau-based company to put up a $500-million to $1-billion hotel and casino within the Bagong Nayong Pilipino Manila Bay Integrated City Project.

AFTER a successful stint in Davao City, management-training school Integrative Learning International (ILI) Phils. Inc. ramped up its expansion of its new business segment aimed at recruiting health workers to Brisbane, Australia.

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Lito Atienza will meet with executives of some of the world’s giant mining companies to encourage more mining investments in the Philippines during the Asia Mining Congress to be held this week in Singapore.

AN innovator of Filipino food service whose servings are wrapped in banana leaves, Binalot Fiesta Foods Inc. vows not to raise the prices of its food offerings until the end of 2008, despite the issues of rice shortage and hoarding in the country, in an effort to empathize with its customers who have become budget-conscious in their spending.