Mining Group asks gov’t to close all small-scale mines until rules are corrected
The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) has recommended the closure of all existing “Minahang Bayan” (people’s mine) areas in the country and the suspension of the processing of new applications until the government amends its “ineffective” guidelines.
Minahang Bayan is an area where small-scale miners can legally operate under the supervision of the government.
In an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the annual PMSEA Conference in Baguio City, PMSEA president Dr. Walter Brown said while the intention of putting up Minahang Bayan areas across the country was good, the law that governed it was “defective.”
Open violations
He added that it might only worsen the condition of the mining sector.
The scheme designating small-scale mining areas “will openly violate regulations because it is not set up properly,” Brown said.
“There’s no Minahang Bayan that is actually within regulation. None,” he said.
“If you look at [the guidelines of] Minahang Bayan, it says there that you can’t use chemicals, explosives or any heavy equipment,” Brown said.
“Who can operate under those [regulations]?” he added.
Rules governing Minahang Bayan bar miners from using chemicals to process minerals and allow them to use only water to remove minerals from ore.
They cannot use heavy machinery and may only use traditional equipment like pickaxe and chisel.
Big help
Currently, there are 20 operating Minahang Bayan areas nationwide—11 of which were approved by local government units, while nine were approved by the national government. More than 100 applications are pending at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Brown recommended the closure of all existing Minahang Bayan areas until the government could institute a program that would enable established and big mining companies to work in coordination with the public sector and small-scale miners.
Environment Undersecretary Analiza Teh said that since the Minahang Bayan was provided by the Small Scale Mining Act “what we can discuss is small-scale mining within large-scale mining areas.”
Mines and Geosciences Bureau director Wilfredo Moncano earlier said that the elimination of small-scale mining operations in the country could translate to as much as P40-billion profit loss.
Most small-scale mines are unregulated and is considered as one of the main sources of livelihood for the Cordillera Region.
