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By Luis Leoncio Controversy surrounds the mining audit being conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) after Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (Semirara) obtained what appeared to be a “leaked report” on its mining operations on an island in Antique.

President Duterte said his administration will pursue power generation through cheap sources like coal plants, and will not be restrained by an international accord that limits carbon emissions. 

By Luis Leoncio The antitrust body Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) received crucial backing from the influential Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) in exercising its mandate to probe the P70-billion telecommunications deal among giants San Miguel Corp. (SMC), Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom.

A “win-win” strategy to end the “end-of-contract”, or “endo”, practice among big local firms has been proposed by an inter-agency body and accepted by President Duterte.

The government is set to release on Sept. 22 the results of the audit of the operations of the country’s 40 metallic mines, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said more mines would be shut down.

Progressive groups expressed support for President Duterte’s declaration of an independent foreign policy, as they urged him to “do a Dirty Dozen” and reject US military domination, just as the 12 senators did in the “historic vote” that booted out US military bases, 25 years ago on Sept. 16, 1991.

By Riza Lozada Some senators, notably members of the Senate energy committee, are convinced that the country should use nuclear power in generating the rising electricity needs of the country, but not all of them favor rehabilitating and recommissioning the 32-year-old mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

The country’s external debt stood at $77.7 billion by the end of President Aquino’s term this year, from $57.3 billion when he assumed office in June 2010, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed.

By Luis Leoncio Two local think tanks see “hidden components” in the proposed tax-reform measures of the Duterte administration as favoring the rich while providing minimal benefits for poor wage earners.

By Luis Leoncio Unknown to many, there is a large and heavy price tag attached to the proposed emergency powers for President Duterte to solve the costly gridlock bedeviling the country.