It looks like MICC won’t shut down mining firms

At the rate things are going at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), it seems that all the 26 mining companies that were ordered close and suspended by former Environment Secretary Regina Paz Lopez will all soon going to be spared.

A statement on Monday showed that the MICC just adopted the report of the its Technical Review Teams, which undertook an objective fact-finding and science-based review of the performance of these 26 mining companies.

The review covered 19 nickel mines, three gold, and gold and copper mines, three chromite mines and two magnetite/iron mines.

The review measured the companies’ practices as acceptable (3.0), minor corrections needed (2.0), major reforms needed (1.0) and not acceptable (0).

The word on the street is that of all the companies that were reviewed, no one received '0'. Most of them, however, got '2.0'.

The review assessed the practices of these miners in terms of legal, technical, environmental, social and economic aspects.

Although he did not directly say it, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu implied that miners that were guilty of "unacceptable practices" will be given a chance to address the issue before they will be close down.

“Mining companies need to shape up. The review specified major reforms needed, for example, on inadequate mine tailings pond and the very slow rehabilitation of the disturbed mined areas," Cimatu said.

"The review also pointed out unacceptable practices regarding stockpile areas, location of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) and dumping of toxic and hazardous waste. They have to address all of these issues or they will be closed,” he added.

Upon adoption of the report, it is now the task of the DENR to determine the actions on the Motion for Reconsideration filed by 13 mining companies on the suspension and cancellation orders slapped against them.

“We will definitely use the comprehensive report made by the MICC Review Teams in evaluating whether or not a mining company should continue to operate. However, I am inclined to put more premium on the environmental considerations in the mining operations,” Cimatu said.

Held last week, the latest MICC meeting was co-chaired by Cimatu and Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez.

Moving forward, the DENR must soon submit the final fact-finding audit report to the President, citing the actions taken on the mining companies that were ordered suspended and cancelled.

"We are serious about reinventing mining in the Philippines. As the President said he is more concerned of the actual benefits to the people not just the government revenues to be generated by the mining industry,” Cimatu said.