BONTOC, Mountain Province – The first Minahang Bayan in Mountain Province was duly recognized by the local Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) here during Tuesday’s fourth quarter meeting.
The PMRB Resolution No. 001, s. 2020 or “A Resolution Declaring the Applied Area of Northern Sagada Small-scale Miners Association Inc. (NSBSSMAI) Covering an Area of 10 Hectares in Barangay Fidelisan, Sagada, Mountain Province as People’s Small-Scale Mining Area or Minahang Bayan” was unanimously declared as such by the members of the board after satisfactorily complying the conditions of the issued clearance.
The resolution was signed by Mountain Province PMRB Chair and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) OIC Regional Director Fay W. Apil, Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr., Small Scale Miners Representative Herman Soliaban and NGO Representative and Engr. Paul C. Sapaen.
According to Director Apil, the board received a memorandum dated June 8, 2020 from the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) giving clearance to the applied area of NSBSSMAI for declaration as Minahang Bayan.
She related that an application for the small-scale mining area was filed to the local PMRB and was evaluated and verified by the MGB regional and central offices and was subsequently endorsed to the DENR Secretary for clearance.
Meanwhile, Governor Lacwasan was pleased with the recent developments since the Minahang Bayan declaration is a requirement for a small-scale mining contract application.
The governor thanked the offices of the DENR, MGB and the Mountain Province Environment and Natural Resources Office for doing their respective parts to help local small-scale miners comply with the necessary documents since the application for Minahang Bayan is a hard process.
With the declaration of the small-scale mining area, the miners’ organization must now comply with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ certification, Environmental Compliance Certificate and designation of mineral processing zone.
Moreover, the signing of the resolution was witnessed by MGB-CAR Mining Services Division Chief Alfredo J. Genetiano, Provincial Government Assistant Department Head Cornelio Diego of PENRO and PMRB Focal Person Angel B. Baybay.
By Erwin S. Batnag