When we conducted the first audit of the mining firms last year, the 16 teams who conducted the audit was well-represented, with some of the 10-12 coming from the different bureaus of the Department, some of the members coming from the concerned government agencies, the Social Action Center of the local parishes, and the civil society organizations.
Technical experts from the different government offices that have been invited to conduct the audit all abide in the standards of truth, service, and the common good. This means they know what they are doing and have followed the due legal process that needs to be done.
We based the checklist of the criteria for the audit on the items in compliance with the different mining and environmental laws. A cross-audit was also done, which means that the auditors who reviewed one site, have come from a different region.
We also gave seven days for the companies to respond to the results of the audit, providing a leeway for them to clear the issues that were raised. We had to review the reported results of the audit for five months before we have to release it, ensuring that we followed the process meticulously.
My issue here is not about mining. My issue here is social justice. If there are businesses and foreigners that go and utilize the resources of that area for their benefit and the people of that island suffer, that’s social injustice.
We assure the industry and the general public that due process was meticulously observed in the mining audit conducted by the agency and that the results would be always anchored on integrity, social justice, and the common good. ###
Environment Secretary Gina Lopez on Thursday ordered the closure of 23 metallic mines in the country, while suspending five more, for serious environmental violations discovered during the industry-wide audit conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) since July last year.
“My issue here is not about mining. My issue here is social justice. If there are businesses and foreigners that go and utilize the resources of that area for their benefit and the people of the island suffer, that’s social injustice,” Lopez said during a press conference held at the DENR OSEC Conference Room in Quezon City.
Lopez issued the closure orders against 23 mining firms based on the final results and recommendations of the multisectoral audit teams formed to look into the compliance of mining operators with the existing environmental laws and regulations.
The mining firms slapped with closure orders are the following:
• BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc., Eramen Minerals Inc., Zambales Diversified Metals Corp., and LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc., all in Zambales province, due mainly to siltation of rivers, destruction of a functional watershed and illegal tree-cutting
• Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., Emir Minerals Corp., and TechIron Mineral Resources Inc. in Homonhon mainly for siltation of coastal waters and destruction of functional watershed
• ADNAMA Mining Resources Corp., Claver Mineral Development Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp., CTP Construction and Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Marcventures Mining and Development Corp., and Hinatuan Mining Corp. in Surigao del Norte mainly for siltation of coastal waters and mining in functional watersheds
• Benguet Corporation in Itogon, Benguet and Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp. in Bulacan were likewise issued suspension orders by Lopez. She deferred to give a decision on the fate of Filminera Resources Corp. pending further investigation.
The five mining companies that were issued suspension orders are Berong Nickel Corp., OceanaGold Phils., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp., Citinickel Mines and Development Corp. and Strong Built Mining Development Corp.
According to DENR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Maria Paz Luna, the companies can file for a Motion for Reconsideration (MR) to the DENR within 15 days from receipt of the order.
Luna said the DENR decision can still be appealed to the Office of the President.
The DENR had earlier assured the mining sector and the general public that due process was "meticulously observed" in the audit of all existing metallic mines nationwide.
It also assured that the audit results "really promote the common good and social justice" espoused by Lopez and President Rodrigo Duterte.
A staunch advocate of responsible mining, Lopez has made it clear that the common good and the protection of the environment would be her paramount concern, not money.
She emphasized that no mining company can operate in a functional watershed which protects water sources.
"Water is life. We will not allow the water of our people to be at risk for any business interest,” Lopez said.
Barely a week at the DENR, Lopez ordered last July 8 an industry-wide audit to look into the adequacy and efficiency of environmental protection measures taken by the mining companies, determine gaps in those measures and identify the appropriate penalties for violations of mining and environmental laws.
A total of 16 audit teams were formed to review the environmental compliance of mining companies in all regions in the country. Each team is composed of representatives from the DENR central and regional offices, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and civil society organizations.
The audit focused on safety and health; mine environmental management; social development; mining tenement; and compliance with laws on clean air, clean water, hazadous waste and solid waste. ###
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will conduct a two-day workshop aimed at developing a framework for the management of Benham Rise, the Philippines' resource-rich territory off the eastern coast of Luzon Island.
The workshop, slated for February 2-3 and organized by DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), will bring together policymakers and experts in a bid to come up with a policy framework for the protection and sustainable management of the undersea region.
The discussions will focus on resources in the region including biodiversity, fisheries, mineral, oil and gas; existing policies governing the area, and alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals and Philippine Development Plan, among others.
Resource persons include BMB officials led by Director Theresa Mundita Lim, who is expected to speak on the thrust towards the sustainable management of the Benham Rise, Dr. Vincent Hilomen on the general overview of the region, and Ms. Armida Andres on the framework’s alignment in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Philippine Development Plan.
Experts from the University of the Philippines are also expected to share their knowledge and expertise on the Benham Rise during the workshop. Leading them is Dr. Mario Aurelio of the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS), who will share the successful strides made by the government on claiming the region under the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS; Atty. Jay Batongbakal of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea on existing policies governing the Benham Rise.
Dr. Cesar Villanoy of the UP-Marine Science Institute will make a presentation on the physical environment of Benham Rise while Dr. Hildie Nacorda of the UP-Los Baños in Laguna will tackle the biodiversity resources surveys made in the Benham Rise in 2014 and 2016.
Dr. Carlos Primo David, also of UP-NIGS, will present the mineral, oil and gas resources of the region, while Commodore Eduardo Gongona of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will talk on the fishery resources.
Benham Rise is claimed as the largest marine area of the country that remains relatively pristine. With the recent recognition of Benham Rise as part of the Philippines’ territory and extended continental shelf (ECS) granted by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) in 2012, interest in utilization of Benham rise increased.
Development of a sound sustainable management framework for Benham Rise would give the Philippines opportunities to develop its marine scientific research capabilities, provide an anchor for mobilizing offshore resources and management in the eastern seaboard of Luzon, and establish the basis of Philippine control and management of seabed exploration activities in the EEZ, continental shelf, and extended continental shelf.
The recognition of the Philippine jurisdiction over the Benham Rise Region is the Philippines’ first successful validation of a claim in accord with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS). It is the first major expansion of the Philippines’ maritime boundaries since the late 1970s when it declared its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The waters above the ECS are considered as high seas.
With the UN decision, the Philippines’ continental shelf and territory increased from 30 million hectares to 43 million hectares. ###
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has stopped dredging operations on the banks of Aklan River, which were carried out without the required permits from the DENR and the local government.
With the help of some 60 operatives from various law enforcement agencies, the DENR on Tuesday swooped down on a 50-ton Chinese boat conducting dredging activities along the river.
The boat, identified as "MV Zhong Hai 18," was contracted by STL Panay Resources Co. Ltd. (STLPRCL) to dredge shallow parts of Aklan River.
According to DENR Undersecretary Arturo Valdez, the contractor of the dredging project failed to secure permits from the DENR and the multi-sectoral monitoring and validation team created by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan to ensure the safety of the dredging operations.
Valdez, who is head of the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force (NAECTF), said last Tuesday's operation was pursuant to a cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the DENR on Jan. 26 against the dredging project and a directive from no less than DENR Secretary Gina Lopez.
He said Lopez immediately ordered the NAECTF to link up with Aklan DENR officials upon learning of the dredging activities of the vessel through a letter sent to her by Kalibo town Mayor William Lachica.
He noted that around 1,200 cubic meters of sand materials were discovered inside two of the boat's six compartments by the DENR and the multi-sectoral monitoring team during a surprised inspection on January 23.
It was learned that the boat has been anchored off Barangay Bakhaw Norte in Kalibo since November last year.
The dredging project, which is an offshoot of the massive flooding caused by Typhoon Frank in 2008, faces strong opposition from residents who are worried that it might result in further erosion of the riverbanks.
Valdez clarified that there was no go signal coming from monitoring team and the DENR to proceed with the project as STLPRCL has yet to comply with the requirements set by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Part of the requirements was to secure clearances from the monitoring team and concerned local DENR offices.
Combined operatives from the Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard and the National Bureau of Investigation joined the DENR in implementing the CDO against the dredging project.
The joint operatives found 15 undocumented Chinese nationals inside the boat conducting the dredging operation.
“None of the Chinese nationals we found on board the ship were able to present their passports, nor they were able to present a mineral ore transport permit for the ship's cargo,” Valdez said.
He said that the DENR has already coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration regarding the Chinese nationals, and the Bureau of Customs for the issuance of hold order against the vessel.
The DENR official said his team does not rule out the possibility that the ship is engaged in black sand mining, noting that the SPRCL has offered the dredging of the river in exchange for buying the materials which will be taken out.
“We are now gathering documents for a case build up,” Valdez said. ###
The role of wetlands on reducing disaster risks comes to fore as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) leads the country’s celebration of World Wetlands Day (WWD) on Thursday, February 2.
Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim said that this year’s theme, "Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction," highlights the role of wetlands as a natural safeguard against disasters, especially those brought on by climate change.
"The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts," Lim pointed out. "We cannot emphasize enough how our wetlands can help protect communities, especially the poor who are most vulnerable and least resilient."
Lim noted that the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, recently cited how the frequency of disasters worldwide has doubled, with 90 percent of them water-related.
"Wetlands, which include mangroves, are good natural buffers against stronger and more frequent typhoons, possible storm surges, and sea level rise," Lim explained.
She added: "They also ensure water supply in times of drought. The ecological benefits of wetlands empower the poor communities and improve their resilience to these occurrences."
"Just recently, the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area (NOCWCA) was designated as the 7th Ramsar site in the Philippines, and selected as the 4th Flyway Network Site (FNS) under the East Asian-Australian Flyway Partnership. These twin developments are recognition of the country’s sustained efforts in conserving wetlands with international importance,” Lim said.
February 2 of each year is WWD, marking the date of adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. The convention was named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where it was adopted.
Established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet, WWD was first celebrated in 1997 and has grown remarkably since then. In 2016, WWD was celebrated in at least 59 countries.
The BMB, which leads the implementation of the Ramsar Convention in the country, has announced activities in this year’s celebration of WWD.
In partnership with the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands (SCPW), the BMB will be launching the Atlas of Philippine Inland Wetlands and Classified Caves and the SCPW module on wetlands for youth eco-camps.
The bureau will also host the Ramsar Roundtable Discussion on Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction.
Thirty student-leaders and five teachers from Talisay, Batangas will take part in "youth eco-camp" on February 13-15 to be held in a farmhouse resort in Talisay. They represent five selected schools from the town, namely, San Guillermo Academy, Talisay Polytechnic Institute, Talisay High School, Balas Buco Sta. Maria National High School, and Talisay School of Agriculture.
The eco-camp is co-organized by DENR Region 4A, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Batangas, Taal Volcano Protected Landscape Office, municipal government of Talisay, and Department of Education-Talisay District Office.
Meanwhile, the BMB is inviting the youth aged 18-25 years old to join the Wetland Photo Contest organized by the Ramsar Convention, in partnership with Star Alliance Biosphere Connection (SABC).
Interested contestants must submit photos depicting how any type of wetland helps in coping with extreme weather events. Photos must be uploaded to www.worldwetlandsday.org from February 2 to March 2, 2017.
The winner will be given the chance to visit any Wetland of International Importance or Ramsar site, courtesy of SABC. ###