P110 million set aside for environmental rehabilitation

CEBU, Philippines - To restore the environment, mining companies in Central Visayas have set aside about P110 million that would be used for rehabilitation and decommissioning activities immediately after they cease operations.

According to Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan (FMR-DP) ensures that those disturbed areas will be restored.

FMR-DP is part of the requirements of existing operating mines and quarries. It is drafted and submitted based on results of consultations with local government units and the communities.

“A continuous monitoring over a period of ten years as well as a social plan to minimize the mine closure’s economic impact to the host and neighboring communities and to the mine employees and their dependents will be vigorously pursued,” MGB assured.

The 10-year period will be divided into two - first will be the active care program that would include mine decommissioning or the removal of all unwanted infrastructures, and site rehabilitation as well as the identification and treatment of all potential sources of pollutants and contaminants.

The next part will be the passive care program which is the period of sampling and monitoring to determine if the active care has been successful and the “walk-away” state is guaranteed.

During the development and production periods and in order to give support in attaining the objectives of the Environmental Compliance Certificate, the company has to implement the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program (EPEP), MGB said.

“This means that a company has to implement specific annual plans, programs and activities to institute environmental protection measures and/or rehabilitate mining-affected areas,” MGB explained.

The FMR-DP submitted by the mining companies will be scrutinized by the panel of evaluators from the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee in the region, which will forward the proposal to the Contingency Liability and Rehabilitation Fund Committee of MGB Central Office for final approval.

Complaint mining companies are Philippine Mining Service Corporation-Alcoy Dolomite Mine/Dolomite Mining Corporation in Alcoy, Cebu which allotted P31.791 million, Apo Cement Corporation/Apo Land & Quarry Corporation, JLR Construction & Aggregates Inc. and Quarry Ventures Philippines Inc. in City of Naga that set aside P12.102 million, P3.005 million and P1.4 million respectively.

Other companies include Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc./Solid Earth Development Corporation in San Fernando, Cebu with P4 million, Philippine Mining Service Corporation-Bohol Mine/Bohol Limestone Corporation in Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol with PhP49.2 million allotment and Lazi Bay Resources Development Inc. in Lazi, Siquijor with P18 million. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/LPM   (FREEMAN NEWS)