BAGUIO CITY – The hard line position of President Rodrigo R. Duterte against open pit mining significantly contributed in instilling discipline in the country’s mining industry, a senior official of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) said here Tuesday.
PMSEA president Dr. Walter W. Brown admitted a good number of mining companies started to shape up when concerned government agencies started to strictly implement the [prescribed regulations governing the conduct of responsible mining for the mutual co-existence between the environment and mining.
Some 500 mining industry stakeholders and regulators are in the city for the conduct of the 65th Annual National mine Safety and Environment Conference with the theme ’65 Years of Responsible Mining: Industry and Regulator Together in Advocating and Promoting Responsible Mining.’
“Mining has to correct the injustices that it committed to the environment and the indigenous peoples within host and neighboring communities because mining has to be done right for the benefit of the present and future generation of Filipinos,” Brown stressed.
The PMSEA claimed that much had been said about the President’s hard line position against open mining but no one among the mining industry stakeholders had been brave enough to question the President’s position and cull out the necessary information that will allow the industry to engage the Chief Executive into a high level discussion on the matter.
While it might be true that the contribution of mining to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is only 0.6 percent annually, Brown asserted that mining has been a catalyst of growth and development in the countryside based on the generated jobs, the provision of sources of livelihood for the IPs living in host and neighboring communities, infrastructure development among other improvements in their places of operation.
He pointed out that mining is the only industry that is being mandated by law to allocate a substantial portion of its income for environment preservation and enhancement program, social development and management program among other interventions aside from providing for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.
The PMSEA is a volunteer organization composed of representatives from the mining industry stakeholders who are aggressively advocating and promoting the practice of responsible mining by those involved in the lucrative industry.
Brown underscored it is important for the mining industry to elevate its status to a higher level to be at par with the global mining industry so that the locally produced minerals will have access to the world market that will translate to the improved contribution of mining to the country’s economy.
He emphasized responsible miners care for the preservation and protection of the environment and the upliftment of the living condition of the IPs living in host and neighboring communities that is why mining will always be working for the welfare of the people living in their host and neighboring communities and the sustainable state of the environment that serves as their source of income.
By HENT
Banner Photo by: JOSEPH B. MANZANO
