MICC exec: March start set for new mining audits
Credit to Author: MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO, TMT| Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2019 16:30:21 +0000
New mining audits will begin in March for another batch of companies as the government seeks to settle challenges against closures and suspensions ordered by the Environment department in 2017, a member of an interagency council said.
“We are targeting to start by March and end it by June because its dry season — the best time to visit these mines,” Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin told reporters in an interview.
Agabin, who is part of the Mining Industry Coordination Council (MICC), reiterated that the 15 mining firms were part of the 41 that were initially investigated by the Environment department in 2016.
The second audit round will have a budget of P25 million, P15 million of which will be provided by the Finance department and the remainder by the DENR.
Agabin said the MICC would be commissioning the same team of experts that reviewed a first batch of mining firms.
“We want the same teams. Same scope, same teams, if they still want to,” he said.
The methodology for the audit will also essentially be the same but some improvements can be done, Agabin added.
“Now we will be doing it better. We know how to structure it already. Improvements will be observed with respect to the scope of the study especially on the social and economic aspects,” he said.
The MICC convened in February 2017 after then Environment chief Regina Lopez’s closure and suspension orders against 26 mining operations led to an industry outcry.
This led to Congress’ deciding not to confirm her appointment and the MICC subsequently created five technical teams to conduct another review.
In November last year, the DENR announced that three mining firms would be definitely be shuttered while another nine were up for suspension.
The three firms to be closed were identified as Surigao del Norte-based Claver Mineral Development Corp., Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation in the Dinagat Islands and Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp. in Bulacan.
Up for suspension instead of closure, meanwhile, are Dinagat Islands-based AAMPHIL Natural Resources and Development Corp., Krominco, Inc., Libjo Mining Corp. and Wellex Mining Corp.;
Carrascal Nickel Corp. in Surigao del Sur; Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. in Zambales; and Emir Mineral Resources Corp. and Mt. Sinai Exploration and Development Corp. in Samar.
Rounding out the list of nine is Strongbuilt Mining Development Corp. whose suspension was affirmed by the review.
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