The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) lauds its member-companies, Benguet Corporation, Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc (ISRI) and Philex Mining, all operating in Itogon, for coming to the aid of Barangay Loacan in the wake of a recent landslide.
PMSEA will present the miners and volunteers deployed by the three mining companies to help in the search and retrieval operation with a token (cash) and a certificate of appreciation.
ISRI, Benguet Corp and Philex deployed their respective miners, security and search and rescue teams, along with the necessary heavy equipment, and helped search for the pocket miners who were buried in the slide.
The search and retrieval operations spanned four days (17-20 Aug) following a landslide along the Antamok River. ISRI, Benguet Corp and Philex miners and volunteers worked alongside the teams of the MLGU-Itogon, the offices of the Provincial Governor and Representative Eric Go Yap, DSWD, BFP, PNP, DPWH, SWAT, Army Reservists and small-scale mining associations (SSM, LIPMA, ALnMA and LMA). The three mining companies deployed a combined total of 37 personnel to the said operation.
According to PMSEA, mining companies are always ready to assist in emergencies because they are always prepared with the proper equipment and appropriately trained manpower. Through the years, PMSEA’s Pusong Minero program has been at the forefront of search, rescue and retrieval operations.
In fact, Pusong Minero’s volunteer-companies (mostly mining operations) have been extending their expertise in disaster search and rescue even before the government mandated the LGUs to form rescue teams. Pusong Minero volunteers were at the front and center of rescue and retrieval operations during the 1990 Baguio earthquake, the landslides in Guinsaugon (Leyte) and Real (Quezon), Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, typhoon Yolanda in Samar and Tacloban and the Mayon Volcano eruption.
PMSEA is the country’s forerunner in the promotion of occupational safety and health, sound environmental management and social responsibility in the minerals industry.
According to Dr Walter B Brown, PMSEA president, “ Safety is the crux of our industry so coming to the aid of local governments in times of calamities is a given. We are very proud of the bravery and selflessness of our miners.” In photo are the miners, security and safety teams as well as equipment from Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc, Benguet Corp and Philex Mining deployed to help in the search and retrieval operation. By HENT
