BAGUIO CITY – residents and visitors can now have a chance to view the different vintage mine equipment and artifacts that were used by mining companies in their operations several decades ago in a mine exhibit corner of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) at the Baguio Museum.
The PMSEA mine exhibit was formally opened Friday noon during a soft opening that was attended by PMSEA president and ASEAN Engineer Luis R. Sarmiento and the members of the Baguio Museum board headed by Nicholas ‘Bong’ Tabora.
Sarmiento explained that the availability of the vintage mine equipment and artifacts right in a corner at the Baguio Museum will serve as part of the awareness being conducted by the PMSEA to educate the youth on the facets of the mining industry and entice them to embrace the industry and take up mining-related courses.
The Itogon Suyoc Resources, Inc. (ISRI) turned over to the Baguio Museum administration its various vintage mine equipment and artifacts which is now being showcased in the said PMSEA mine exhibit.
Aside from being the PMSEA president, Sarmiento is also serving as the president of the Davao-based Apex Mining Company, Inc. (AMCI) which is ISRI’s mother company.
Among the vintage mine equipment and artifacts that can be seen at the Baguio Museum PMSEA exhibit are safety lamps, surveying equipment, projector, calculator, counter balance weighing scale, monocular microscope, mechanical balance scale, mega phone, pressure lamp, surveyor’s transit and megohmmeter.
For his part, Tabora expressed his gratitude to the PMSEA and ISRI for having chosen the Baguio Museum as the venue of its mine exhibit that will surely go a long way in serving as an added learning corner for the benefit of the youth wanting to learn about mining and its rich history in the city.
He explained that the Baguio Museum will serve as the custodian of the said equipment and artifacts but it will still remain as PMSEA and ISRI’s property.
Both PMSEA and Baguio Museum officials remain optimistic that the availability of the said items that are in display will entice today’s youth to consider entering the country’s lucrative mining industry by being convinced to take up mining-related courses.
The PMSEA, ISRI and other mining companies will be providing additional vintage equipment and artifacts that will be in addition to the earlier ones that are now in display to beef up the mine exhibit and learning corner for the youth.
The establishment of a mine museum that will house vintage equipment and artifacts is one of the desired initiatives of the PMSEA to help in proper information and educating the youth about the contributions of mining to the country’s overall growth and development. By Dexter A. See
