IPILAN Nickel Corp. (INC), a subsidiary of Global Ferronickel Inc. (FNI), on Monday said its tree-cutting activities within its mining tenement in Palawan is compliant with environmental laws, rules and regulations. Ipilan’s tree-cutting activities were ordered to be stopped by Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu after the official conducted a mine visit in Palawan.
During the visit, INC officials explained to Cimatu the propriety of its tree-cutting and earth-balling activities. Cimatu went to check on the veracity of the report made by local officials of Brooke’s Point that the company was illegally cutting century-old trees and has “slaughtered” thousands of trees, including century-old native trees.
In a statement, INC said on December 20, 2016, without prior notice or show-cause order as required under rules of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and by administrative due process, former DENR Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez issued a letter stating the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of the INC was deemed cancelled due to the company’s failure to implement the project within the 5-year period from its issuance on October 8, 2010.
However, records showed the company undertook numerous programs and projects in coordination with, and as acknowledged by, the DENR.
It cited as an example when INC was awarded by the DENR itself in June 2013 for its Outstanding Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The recognition said the project exceeded the procedural and substantive standards of the Philippine EIS System and demonstrated sound scientific approach and coherence, excellent technical comprehensiveness and impressive communication of EIA results, in a manner that elevates it as a model for other EIA reports.
In 2014 INC also began implementation of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-approved Community Development Program, which aims to improve the quality of life of residents in nearby communities through initiatives related to health, education, safety and environmental protection.
“We will work closely with the new DENR leadership and provide all the necessary information to show that we have followed the applicable laws and regulations in good faith,” INC President Dante R. Bravo said.
“The cancellation of INC’s ECC is a subject of a pending motion for reconsideration. Under the Revised Administrative Code, the pendency of a motion for reconsideration stops the effectivity of an order of a department,” he said. Tree-cutting and earth-balling activities were covered by valid permits. INC was issued a Special Tree-Cutting and Earth-Balling Permit by the DENR Secretary on May 25, 2016 with a validity of one year.
The permit allowed INC to earthball 14,439 trees and cut 13,490 trees in an area covering 52 hectares. Coordination with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office for the tree-cutting operations began during the first week of February 2017.
“All trees that were to be cut were inventoried and marked by the DENR. Contrary to reports, INC‘s activities have only affected a fourth of the allowable limit strictly within the areas stated in the permit,” Bravo said.
Bravo said transparency is a fundamental part of FNI and INC’s corporate culture, since it started operations.