Hundreds of small-scale miners from three barangays in the city requested the local government to give them ample time to craft their proposals following the recommendation of the technical working group (TWG) that was created by the City Mining Regulatory Board (CMRB) to close the operation of two mine sites in the city.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong told the pocket miners to firm up their commitments which will be discussed by both the concerned sectors and the local government during another dialogue that will be called for the crafting of agreements to address the earlier recommendations.
Earlier, the CMRB’s technical working group represented by Assistant City Environment and Parks Management Officer Engr. Marivic Empizo presented to the small-scale miners from barangays Camp 7, Kias and Atok Trail their findings and recommendations related to the ongoing small-scale mining operations in the said areas.
One of the recommendations is for the closure of the mine tunnels in barangay Camp 7 and Kias due to various violations and encroachments to government and private properties.
However, the group recommended the declaration of a Minhanag Bayan in Atok Trail as the area is within a declared mineral reservation but its operations must be regulated and monitored.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), on the other hand, already conducted the necessary profiling of the 264 small-scale miners who are working in the mine sites and who might be affected with the proposed closure of the two pocket mining areas in the city to ascertain those that need assistance when the closure will be enforced.
Most of the affected pocket miners are from the various barangays in the city while some of them are residents of nearby communities. By Dexter A. See
