Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, cochairman of the Mining Industry Coordinating Committee (MICC), said a three-month review of the contracts of the mining operations ordered closed by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is reasonable.
According to the finance chief, while the three-month review of all the mining contracts affected by the DENR decision is an initial estimate, this seems a reasonable number of months.
“We will do what Bayani Agabin said. I will ask them [if the three months for review is enough], that’s just an initial estimate. Three months seems to be reasonable,” he said.
Earlier in the week, the MICC multi stakeholder team had agreed on the scope, composition and process under which the review of the contracts will be undertaken. Finance Undersecretary Agabin further pointed out that the study will take into account the technical, economic and social aspects of the mining operations, while the decision on mine site visits would depend on the review team.
In terms of job opportunities for the displaced mining workers, a number of employment opportunities were available, including areas in construction and greening projects, according to National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia.
“Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez says she has alternative employment for them. There are a lot anyway, from greening projects, we have a lot of construction projects this year, there will be many job opportunities for these displaced workers,” Pernia said.
As for the municipalities affected by the mining closure and suspensions, a suitable employment for the people living there are also being considered, including in sectors like local area development.
“Gina [Lopez] is into local area development to make it more, especially those with tourist areas, attractive,” he added.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there are 217,000 mining workers in the mining and quarrying industry of the country, accounting for only one-half of 1 percent of the total employment in the Philippines.
“The employment in the sector is just few. The whole of mining and quarrying industry is only 217,000 workers, and that’s not just those who are suspended. This is data from the PSA that accounts for about one-and-a-half of 1 percent of total persons employed,” he said.
In 2016 the contribution of the mining industry to the country’s local output measured as the GDP amounted to $8.3 billion. Its gross value added contribution accounts for 0.99 percent of GDP, according to Pernia.