Taking the cue from President Duterte and affirming a commitment to responsible mining, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) on Monday vowed to rehabilitate mined-out areas in compliance with existing mining laws.
In a news statement, COMP believes that responsible mining is vital to national development and fully supports Duterte’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda.
COMP issued the statement a day after Duterte expressed support behind Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez’s controversial closure and suspension orders, which affected 28 of the 41 operating large-scale metallic mines.
Protests over Lopez’s “arbitrary closure and suspension orders” was raised by COMP prompting Duterte to call for a review by the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC).
Compliance
Representing mining industry’s big players, COMP said its members are ISO 14001 certified with a seal of excellence in environmental management recognized nationwide.
“We assure the President that COMP members in Caraga and [other members] nationwide are committed to rehabilitate mined- out areas to comply with existing mining laws,” COMP Chairman Art Disini said.
However, Disini clarified that the areas being cited by Lopez are active mining areas.
“These already have comprehensive mine-rehabilitation programs, including mechanisms for funding. We assure that after utilizing the minerals, these areas will be converted into lands productive for the communities even long after the mines are gone,” Disini said.
Fund
Years before closure, mining companies set up a so-called final mine-rehabilitation decomissioning fund deposited in government-accredited banks to be utilized in the mine’s rehabilitation as determined by careful studies and approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units and the all the affected communities and stakeholders.
COMP also remains confident its member-companies will be given the opportunity to address their alleged violations raised during the audit review.
“The President and the Mining Industry Coordinating Council, cochaired by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, vowed to follow due process in the audit review,” Disini said.
COMP, however, still reiterated its demand to the full disclosure of the full audit results.
FOI
During a Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-COMP joint stakeholders forum last Friday, COMP President Philip Romualdez also expressed optimism for the minerals industry under the Duterte administration, citing the President’s adherence to the rule of law.
Invoking Duterte’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Executive Order, COMP had asked the DENR and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) for the mine-audit reports of the affected mines, which includes 23 operating mines that are up for closure and five other mines that are up for suspension.
On Friday last week Lopez said she had already signed 12 of the 23 closure and suspension orders and the rest will be signed this week. She said the orders will be sent individually to the concerned mining companies.
According to Disini, mining firms identified for closure or suspension have yet to receive their orders from the DENR.
Meanwhile, COMP is set to file its opposition to Lopez’s appointment to the top DENR post.
COMP earlier claimed that Lopez’s “bias” against mining became obvious after announcing the closure order on February 2 during a news conference.
The group said Lopez’s closure and suspension orders denied the mining companies due process, as they were not informed of the audit findings and recommendations, thus denying them the privilege of instituting corrective measures as mandated under the mining and environmental laws.
2 comments
Not all miners are irresponsible naman kasi. That’s the sad part about this kasi she only went after the responsible ones leaving the illegal kind still in operation ravaging our environment.
The problem is, even the compliant and ISO certified companies are being targeted by GIna because of her malice and bias. Kahit responsible ka pa, hindi ka nya feel. GIna needs rehabilitation herself.