By Pat Jared V. Pangantihon
Correspondent

IN commemoration of Mining Month, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau conducted an MGB Stakeholders’ Forum entitled “#MineResponsblity: Know Mine, Know life” on November 18. This activity will run until November 19.

Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina pointed out, however, that mining has earned local opposition and resistance from affected communities because miners often violate environmental laws or fail to comply with their own contractual obligations.

“With the current reality of climate change, deforestation and other related issues around mining (become) really difficult to justify in the medium (10 years) or long-term (30+ years) scenario,” he added.

The forum aimed to share the recent mining policies released by MGB to various mining industry stakeholders and to spread awareness of MGB’s mandates in promoting responsible mining for national development, as stated in its email sent to the participants.

The forum was attended by Municipal and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officers of various local governments which are hosts to or have mining activities in their localities. Senior high school students taking the strand of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics were also present, as well as representatives of various non-government organizations with environmental and mining concerns.

However, when asked by a participant about the destructive effects of mining, an MGB official simply replied: “Move on.”

Speakers from both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and mining companies shared data regarding the impacts and the importance of the mining industry in the Philippines. The environmental impacts and mitigation put in place by the DENR were also discussed.

“What everyone should realize is that mining is not inherently evil or sinful,” Raymond Ancog, MGB CO, shared.

“Even before the Spanish came to the Philippines, indigenous mining was already being practiced here as shown by the works of art made of gold and other metals that the natives mined.”