Mining Code

Tribesmen burn mine equipment in Surigao Norte

Kailash — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:01:04 +0100

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Disgruntled members of the Mamanwa tribe torched mining equipment owned by the Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC) in Claver, Surigao del Norte, on Thursday, the police said Friday.

TMC is the largest nickel mining company in Claver.

Superintendent Ruben de los Santos, Surigao del Norte police chief, said the armed tribesmen, numbering around 30, stormed TMC’s mining site in Barangay (village) Urbiztondo and abducted two company guards at around 6 a.m.

De los Santos said the attackers had figured in a dispute with the management of TMC over mine claims.

Groups Hit DENR for Seeking Compromise on Controversial Mining Deal

Kailash — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:17:46 +0100

Manila — Various groups criticized the DENR today, for pushing for a compromise deal on the controversial Tampakan mining project in South Cotabato. Sec. Ramon Paje was quoted yesterday in major dailies, that the “DENR will protect the investment” in the threatened mining project. According to Paje, the marching order for him was to find a “win-win solution” to this issue. The Province of South Cotabato formalized its passage of its Environment Code last June 28, putting a ban on open pit mining. The local code has effectively put in limbo one of the largest mining project in the country.

CBCP urges P-Noy to abolish Mining Act of 1995

Kailash — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:32:59 +0100

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Friday called on President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to protect and preserve the country’s natural resources by abrogating the Mining Act of 1995.

“We are calling for the abrogation of the Mining Act of 1995, [which does] not adequately protect the interest of our people and the country’s natural resources,” CBCP president Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar said in his letter to Aquino dated July 12, 2010.

IFC Investment in Mindoro Resources Supports Responsible Mining in the Philippines

Kailash — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:22:43 +0100

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA and MANILA, PHILIPPINES – IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today agreed to invest about 2.1 million Canadian dollars in Mindoro Resources Ltd to support a nickel exploration project in the Philippines that is expected to provide jobs and government revenues once a mine is developed.

Mindoro, a Canada-based mining exploration company, will use IFC’s investment for exploration at the Agata nickel project in the Surigao district on Mindanao Island.

Ebdane suspends small mining in Zambales

Kailash — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:36:44 +0100

IBA, Zambales—-Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has ordered the suspension of all mining and quarrying operations in this province pending a review of permits and compliance by mining firms with environmental-protection requirements.

Ebdane, who issued the order just four days after his inauguration as Zambales governor on June 30, also began inspecting mining and quarrying sites in the province last week in accordance with his call for “judicious utilization of resources” here.

Lumads end protest as DENR settles row

Kailash — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:43:54 +0100

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has resolved its dispute with a group of 200 lumads after a five-hour dialogue last Tuesday that finally ended the protest rally at the DENR compound in Barangay Ambago, this city, officials said Thursday.

The lumads belonging to the different tribes of Mamanwa, Manobo and Higaonon under the “Diwata-Tricom-Yellow Force” held the rally to air their grievances on forestry and mining issues.

The dialogue between the protesting tribal group headed by the tribal consultant Victoriano Vidal and the DENR officials headed

Alternative mining bill refiled; antimining advocates hail move

Kailash — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:47:39 +0100

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—-While much hype and publicity accompanied the filing by Rep. Gloria Arroyo of a bill calling for a Constitutional Convention to revise the 1987 Constitution, not much fanfare accompanied the re-filing of the Alternative Mining Bill (AMB) by Rep. Erin Tanada.

“We welcome the refiling of the bill,” said the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth-Philippines (LRC-KSK/FoE), one of the groups leading the multi-sectoral campaign for the scrapping of the 1995 Mining Act, authored by the former President during her term as senator.

Benguet folk to oppose mining operations

Kailash — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:11:03 +0100

KIBUNGAN, Benguet: Residents of a barangay in the town vowed over the weekend to oppose any mining operation in their area, fearing that such activities would adversely affect water sources used for farming and domestic needs. According to Oswaldo Paggayan, representative of residents of Kibungan town’s Barangay Palina, “our ancestors have opposed mining operations in the past and now we are still taking the same stand.”

Opposing petition

Paggayan referred to a petition submitted by residents against a planned mining exploration to be conducted by Da Gama Minerals Inc.

Indigenous body recalls mining order

Kailash — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:10:43 +0100

KIBUNGAN, Benguet: The battle has been lost but the war has not yet been won for Da Gama Minerals Inc. as the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has recalled an earlier certification issued to the exploration company.

In a Philippine National Police-sponsored mining exploration between stakeholders in this town, held July 1, lawyer Alex Degiem, NCIP representative, informed the public that the earlier certification issued by the office has been recalled.

Stay order on mining project issued

Kailash — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:46:51 +0100

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Civil society groups have obtained a restraining order against three mining firms involved in a project in Surigao del Norte province, the first issued under a legal instrument introduced by the Supreme Court.

Judge Evangeline Yuipco-Bayana of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 30 in Surigao City has issued a 20-day temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) after conducting a hearing a week ago against Manila Mining Corp., Kalayaan Copper Gold Resources and Silangan Mindanao Mining, Inc.