Mining body to discuss mines’ closure order

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has given assurances that the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) will meet “as soon as possible” to address the appeal of the Chamber of Mines (CMP) of the Philippines (CMP), the umbrella organization of local mining firms, which is protesting the order of the government to shutdown an unprecedented number of mostly nickel-producing mines “without due process.”

Dominguez has acknowledged that the mines shutdown has affected about 1.2 million Filipinos.

“We feel there is an urgent need for convening the MICC to look into the basis of the arbitrary mine closure and suspension orders (of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources), which we believe was undertaken without due process,” the CMP letter said.

CMP Chairman Artemio Disini said, “the Executive branch has been advocating transparency in its policies and programs and on this basis, we feel we have the right to know the process involved and the results of the (mining) audit,” Disini wrote.

“We know you are busy with your tax reform measures which we fully support,

but we feel that being one of the members of the economic team of the President, you will be more in a position to see the likely implications of the closure and suspension of 28 mining operations,” Disini added.

In response to the letter-protest, Dominguez said some members of the MICC have already initially discussed the issue and recommended possible programs to help affected families.

In an interview by reporters at the sidelines of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) 40th anniversary in Le Pavilion in Pasay City, the Finance chief said the MICC will meet as early as possible. “ We are just waiting for the response of the other members of the MICC. We want to have it next week or as soon as possible,” he said.

The secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) heads the MICC. Its members are the secretaries of the DENR and the Department of Finance (DOF), the director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap) and representatives of the business, civil society, and academe.

Dominguez said Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco has suggested that Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo survey the affected people and urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to prepare emergency hiring.

“Secretary Evasco has suggested that we engage them in a greening program to do tree planting,” Dominguez said.

He hastened to add, however, that these are just ideas until the council formally meets and approves any measure.

”The Cabinet is obviously very concerned about unemployment (that resulted from the mining closure) and people not having income so we will put our shoulders to the wheel to address that issue first,” he said.

Another area that would be affected by this issue is state revenue.

Dominguez said local government units (LGUs) would be directly affected more than the national government in terms of lower tax collection.

“They use that money to hire people locally. That’s why we asked the treasurers already to give us quick round assessment of how much is going to be lost in revenues,” he said.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lopez last Thursday ordered the closure of 21 mines, mainly nickel producers that account for about half of output in the world’s top nickel ore supplier.

Lopez said the shutdown followed an audit of the firms and that order was part of the government’s campaign to fight environmental degradation

The government also suspended operations of six other mines, including the country’s top gold mine operated by Australia’s Oceanagold Corp, as Lopez vowed to put the public’s welfare above mining revenues.

Among the companies DENR ordered closed were BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc., Eramen Minerals Inc., Zambales Diversified Metals Corporation and LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. all in Zambales province; as well as Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., Emir Minerals Corp. and Techiron Mineral Resources Inc., all in Eastern Samar province’s Homonhon Island;

AAMPHIL Natural Resources Exploration, Kromico Inc., SinoSteel Philippines H.Y. Mining Corporation, Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation, Wellex Mining Corporation, Libjo Mining Corporation and Oriental Vision Mining Philippines Corp in Dinagat islands in Surigao;

ADNAMA Mining Resources Corporation, Claver Mineral Development Corp., Platinum Development Corp., CTP Construction and Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corporation, Marcventures Mining and Development Corporation and Hinatuan Mining Corporation, all operating in Surigao del Norte province. RIZA LOZADA