‘No new exemptions to log ban’ says Mines bureau head

President Benigno Aquino III did not grant any new exemptions to the total log ban other than what is spelled out in Executive Order No. 23, the head of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said on Saturday, allaying fears the mining industry had been exempted from the ban.

EO 23 declares a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in natural and residual forests, and the creation of an anti-illegal logging task force.

MGB head Leo Jasareno said Malacañang did not exempt the mining industry from the total log ban but merely clarified which current projects of certain mining companies were exempted from it.

In Malacañang’s clarification, the projects of six firms, including OceanaGold Corp., Riotuba Nickel Mining Corp. and FCF Minerals Corp., were exempted. The companies had sought the clarification after their applications for tree-cutting permits were disapproved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Jasareno said.

“To be fair to everyone, Malacañang did not give new exemptions. What it issued was a clarification as to what were exempted from EO 23. Projects with environmental mitigation measures are not covered by the ban,” he said in an interview, referring to projects with environmental protection and enhancement programs.

The six companies were among 30 metallic mines operating in the country, Jasareno said.

Jasareno had been quoted as saying at a mining conference in Baguio City that Mr. Aquino had exempted the mining industry from the log ban in exchange for its participation in the National Greening Program, which entails the planting of 1.5 billion trees from 2011 to 2016.

The pronouncement raised a furor among environmentalists and antimining activists who warned that it would lead to the fast deforestation of the country and reverse the intent of EO 23.

EO 23 prohibits the DENR from issuing logging contracts in all natural and residual forests.

It also bars the DENR from issuing or renewing tree-cutting permits in all natural and residual forests nationwide, except for the clearing of road rights of way by the public works department, site preparation for tree plantations, silvicultural treatments and similar activities.