Small scale mines closed in Itogon
FOUR small scale mining sites in Tuding, Itogon , Benguet were temporary closed by the Mines and Geo sciences Bureau Cordillera after numerous complaints from residents.
The implementation of the temporary closure order was headed by Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangadan and Itogon Municipal Police Office Head, Police Chief Inspector Eugene Raymundo.
Both officials discussed with the miners of the complaints the local government unit and the MGB have been receiving from residents being affected by its operations.
The temporarily closure order will take effect until the small scale miners and affected residents would have resolved their differences.
For the month of July alone, six small scale mining sites have been closed by the Itogon MPS.
In March this year, a closure order issued in 2016 against smallscale mine sites in Loacan, Antamok took effect halting the operations of some 216 small scale miners at level 300 and level 400 of the mines in Itogon.
The pocket mines were closed and covered with cement after members of the Loacan Itogon Pocket Miners Association (Lipma) and Reavis Atamok Mining Association Inc. abandoned operations.
The implementation of the order was conducted by the Itogon police, Benguet Corporation, barangay officials of Loacan and Lipma in coordination with the MGB and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which directed the closure of all tunnels within the area.
The implementation of Administrative Oder No. 3 series of 2018 was signed by Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan directing the stoppage order No.01 series of 2016 as amended at the level 300 and 400.