LGUs stand...

DENR last week.

Even if there are still issues surrounding her closure and suspension orders, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez proceeded to cancel last week a total of 75 MPSAs the government earlier granted to some mining companies.

She also cancelled the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of Tampakan project, Southeast Asia's largest undeveloped copper-gold mining project.

This, as her crusade against the destructive operations in the mining sector continues without letup.

On Sunday, Lopez said foreign investors who put premium on local communities and the environment are "welcome to invest" in the Philippines.

This was her reaction to statements from the international and local business communities that her decision to close down and suspend 28 mining firms worries some foreign investors.

But Lopez said foreign investors should not be worried if their businesses do not cause environmental degradation and suffering in areas they operate.

"If they invest and rape the country, I prefer that they go away," Lopez said.

"We want investments that will help us, like investments in our biodiversity, investments which will pay our people well. We welcome investments in area development where they can make money, but they are helping everybody else improve also," she added.

As for mining, Lopez said studies have shown that 82 percent of the net revenue goes to the investor and 95 percent of which goes out of local economy.

The technical review team of Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), co-chaired by the Department of Finance and DENR, held its first organizational meeting on Monday. The technical review was launched to evaluate Lopez's orders.