MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration has convened an inter-agency group to study and come up with a more defined and rational policy on mining in efforts to protect not only the richly bio-diversified areas in the country but also the interest of the minors being used in the industry.
President Aquino earlier met with the heads of various concerned agencies at the Presidential Conference Room to discuss key areas of concern regarding mining and its effects on the places of operation.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the government is bent on coming up with a more rational policy on mining based on the recommendations made during the inter-agency meeting.
“There was a decision to make sure that certain mining policies be defined, be fine-tuned and issues between local laws and national laws on mining be further clarified,” he added.
Also part of the discussions, Lacierda said, was to identify who should regulate the operation of small scale mining in the country. He pointed out that concerned agencies were tasked to carry out their functions that will ensure the strict regulation of the said activity.
“So, there will be forthcoming clarifications on who will regulate small scale mining and for instance, a concern for child labor is being used in mining so that was addressed and the DOJ was also there to make sure that our laws are enforced. The DSWD was also told to make sure that all these areas where there is child labor being used in mining be monitored and prohibited,” Lacierda noted.
Also present during the meeting were advocates opposing mining in some areas headed by Gina Lopez who is also the head of the Pasig River Reclamation Commission.
“Gina Lopez came here with her advocacy on Palawan, she gave us actually a presentation on her opposition to the mining in Palawan because it’s one of the most rich bio-diversified areas in the world in fact and 50 per cent of our food supply of fish in Metro Manila comes from Palawan,” Lacierda said.
“Her (Lopez) position was, she’s not against mining everywhere, … she only asked that certain areas, like for instance mining on island systems be banned,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda said that a meeting also took place last April 11 sponsored by the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to rationalize and fine-tune all the mining policies.
Present during the meeting were senior officials of various concerned agencies including Secretary Julia Abad of PMS; Secretary Teresita Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process; Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government; Secretary Cesar Purisima of the Department of Finance; Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice; Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas and Commissioner Brigada Zenaida Pawid of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines.