Mine shutdowns loom as grace period expires

Posted on July 01, 2016 09:53:00 PM

THE government will order a review of all the existing mines operating in the country, new Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez said on Friday, giving a clear signal that miners falling short of international standards would be shut down.

“We’re releasing the order for the audit… [in] one month, August 31,” Ms. Lopez told a media briefing after she formally took over as mining chief.

“It’s my challenge to the mining industry. Prove it, if you feel that your existence in the country is good, prove it,” the staunch environmentalist said.

The basis of the review is a nearly 15-month old administrative order issued by her predecessor Ramon J.P. Paje that required mining companies that mine metallic mineral to secure an ISO 14001 certification within a one-year period. The grace period lapsed last April, with only 30% of total metallic miners — or 14 of them — able to seek ISO certification.

DENR Administrative Order (AO) No. 2015-07, issued on April 30, 2015, was hammered out almost three years after former President Benigno S.C. Aquino III handed down Executive Order 79 that empowered the Environment agency to create a team that will “conduct a review of the performance of existing [mining] operations.”

Mr. Aquino’s executive order was controversial in that it ordered a moratorium on the issuance of new mineral agreements until a new mining law is created that would overhaul the revenue sharing scheme. The 16^th Congress failed to pass the mining bill.

“There will be an assessment of all the existing mining operations. All the mining companies should be ISO certified,” Ms. Lopez said.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Leo L. Jasareno, who also addressed the same media briefing, said metallic miners that fail to comply with AO 2015-07 will see their environmental compliance certificate (ECC) suspended, in accordance with the directive’s provisions. Suspension of an ECC means the mine will be temporarily shut down and can’t operate.

“In other words, that mine will have to stop for failure to secure the ISO,” said Mr. Jasareno.

Also, miners who were not ISO-certified will be banned from transporting and exporting mineral ores as their ore transport permit (OTP) and mineral ore export permit (MOEP) will also be suspended.

There are metallic miners who sought for an extension after the April deadline, Mr. Jasareno said.

Chamber of Mines of the Philippines Executive Vice President Nelia C. Halcon said member-miners are working on their ISO certification.

“Kasi malalaking miyembro namin lahat yun sumunod. Karamihan sa kanila. But the rest are still in the process of getting ISO certification, hindi ganun kadali yun . Andami damingrequirements yun, (Most large miners complied. But the rest are still in the process of getting ISO certification, it won’t be easy. The requirements are cumbersome),” Ms. Halcon said in a phone interview.

Companies involved in non-metallic mining will also be covered by AO 2015-07 starting this year with the same one-year reprieve, Mr. Jasareno said. Ms. Halcon welcomed the move. —from a report by Janina C. Lim

Source: www.bworldonline.com