Environment, economic execs agree to revisit mining laws

Environment and economic officials have agreed on a need to revisit existing mining laws and policies to determine how much revenue the government receives from mining operations in the country, a Malacañang official said.

Secretary Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, said this was among the consensus that developed during the meeting on Friday between environment officials and members of the Cabinet economic cluster.

“There’s a consensus to revisit how much government gets by allowing mining in the country,” Carandang told reporters.

He said the government is looking at the experience of other countries like Canada, Australia and South Africa in generating revenues from mining.

Carandang described the meeting as a comprehensive discussion on mining’s implications on the environment, the economy and the indigenous peoples. Existing mining laws and policies were also discussed, he said.

President Benigno Aquino III dropped by during the meeting meant to bring the government closer to finalizing a policy on mining in the country, Carandang added.

Among those who attended the meeting were Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, Presidential Adviser on Climate Change Elisea Gozun, Climate Change Commissioner Lucille Sering, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who presided over the discussion.

Purisima, in a briefing last week in Malacañang, said the mining industry was one of the areas that can accelerate the country’s economic growth.

“Unfortunately in the past, the way the laws were implemented, it was not a true win-win situation. The government actually was not able to get its fair share from mining activities,” Purisima said.

The finance secretary said the government’s total collection from the mining industry amounted to just a little over P2 billion while total revenue from the mining sector was over P1.2 trillion.