Division of city school

TONDO HIGH SCHOOL

MANILA

In Partial Fullfillment for the

Requirement In English 10

A Research Paper on the study of

Terrorism

Submitted to: Submitted By:

Mrs.Mamaril Mary Joyce P. Tanala

 Table Of Contents

Title Page Page

Table of contents 1
Acknowledgement 2
Introduction 3
Question 4
Body 5
Conclusion 6
Bibliography 7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 INTRODUCTION
Most illegal mining takes place in low-grade areas or abandoned mining sites. Low
productivity and limited production are therefore the main attributes of illegal mining.
However, there are exceptions. The size of a country and the frequency of the mining can
turn micro-productions into a visible portion of a nation's overall production.

For example, look at India. Coal specialists estimate that 70 to 80 million tons of coal are
produced in India annually in addition to the official production figure of about 350 million
tons.

As reported by the Diamond Development Initiative, "more than a million African artisanal

diamond diggers and their families live and work in absolute poverty, outside the formal
economy, in countries struggling to recover from the ravages of war." There are
consequently more people involved in the informal diamond exploitation than there are in
the formal sector.

Illegal mining is mining activity without state permission, in particular in absence of land

rights, mining license, exploration or mineral transportation permit.[1] Illegal
natural resource extraction becomes pressing when global mineral prices are soaring.[2]

Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the case with artisanal mining, or it can
belong to large-scale organized crime,spearheaded by illegal mining syndicates.[3] Despite
strategic developments towards "responsible mining", even big companies can be involved
in (partially) illegal mineral digging and extraction, if only on the financing side.

The appointment of Ms. Gina Lopez, an environmentalist and an anti-mining advocate

worries the business sector. Cynics have been claiming that her appointment could spell the
end of mining in the Philippines. This may be an exaggeration. So long as there is demand
for raw minerals there will be mining, legal or illegal. It will take more than the appointment
of Ms. Gina Lopez in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop
mining.

President Rodrigo Duterte has called for “responsible mining.” It is a good call for the
companies to be proactive to address the damages caused by mining to the environment
and communities.

With around $800 billion worth of potential minerals, “responsible mining” as a policy
framework, however, is insufficient. There are several reforms we must consider to ensure
that mining contributes to sustainable development.
 Natural resources are sometimes exploited beyond a sustainable level, spoiling natural
habitats, affecting people’s livelihoods and even fuelling armed conflicts. The lack of precise
geographic information is a critical limit in the design of appropriate provisions for
prevention and response to ongoing crises related to natural resources exploitation. Vast
territories have to be observed within a narrow time frame as exploitation activities can
easily shift from one area to another. The areas are difficult to access because they are
widely dispersed, too remote or too insecure. Conflict situations often prevent research
teams from travelling freely and thus remote sensing provides the potential for
complementing more traditional means of monitoring. In this context the use of remote
sensing data even proves beneficial for the detection of widespread mining sites in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where detailed field assessments are extremely
dangerous due to ongoing armed conflicts and the militarisation of the mining sector. The
Illegal Mining Service may provide users with relevant information to contribute to focused
reactions during conflicts and to support rapid identification of affected areas

Mining in tropical countries contributes significantly to the global minerals supplies but
unregulated mining activities in reserved forests is associated with destruction, loss of
habitats and loss of biodiversity. This study determined the area of the Offin shelterbelt
forest reserve, Ghana, degraded through illegal mining (galamsey) and the impacts on the
livelihoods of fringe communities. Thirty-two (32) coordinates were recorded around the
peripheries of disturbed site in the reserve using hand-held Global Positioning System and
were then imported into a geodatabase in ArcGIS which was used to estimate the area
degraded. Data was obtained from 60 purposively sampled respondents from two
communities fringing the reserve and 10 key informant interviews. Increased income (13%),
employment opportunities (6.7%) and increased market activities (2%) were some benefits
of the illegal mining activities identified by the respondents. Eight respondents associated
their employment with of the advent of illegal mining activities out which 6 (70%) were
engaged directly in mining activities, while 2 (30%) were into trading. The miners earned
cash income range of US $ 2.9–22.9 daily. Within 5 years, illegal mining had degraded
2.5 km2 (4.4%) of the total area of the reserve and the destruction of cocoa farms and water
sources (31). Farming among respondents reduced from 90% to 76% after illegal mining.
The relatively high cost (US$ 6424.1) involved in flushing out and the subsequent return of
such miners poses a threat to sustainable forest management and requires a more holistic.
approach in tackling such a problem.

Mining is the extraction of minerals and precious metals from the earth These minerals and
metals consist of manganese, tantalum, copper, tin, silver, diamonds and gold. Mining may
be considered in two forms: large scale mining and small scale mining

Large scale mining generally employs large number of people and produces huge tonnes of
gold. Examples of these are the Anglo-Gold Ashanti of Ghana, Newmount Ghana, Goldfields
Ghana and Minas Serra Pelade Mines in Brazil which employed about over thousands
workers and yielded thousands tonnes of gold to the present. Small scale mining is a form of
mining that is done at small levels and mostly employs relatively a low number of people
(Appiah, 1998). It is generally engaged in by local people within the area where these
activities occur, and comes along with it the influx of people from other areas. Small Scale
Mining companies use a considerable number of the labour force in the country. While
there is no accurate SSM employment number for Ghana (Appiah, 1998), it is estimated that
some 500,000 people are openly employed in the sector whiles additional 500,000 may
indirectly be benefiting from the doings. About half of those directly engaged in the SSM are
said to be illegal operators (Amankwah & Anim-Sackey, 2003) commonly known as
“galamsey operators”. The actions of small-scale miners also generate economic linkages
with other sectors of the economy helping as raw resources for goldsmiths and jewellers.
There are two main forms of small scale mining; these are land dredging and river dredging.
In the former, miners use generators to dig large holes in the ground to expose the gold
bearing layer of the sand and clay. The slurry is then pumped into a sluice box which collects
the gold particles. The tailings flow into an adjacent tailings dam or a mining pit in adjacent
area, usually a forestland. With the river dredging, miners move along the river on a
platform or in a boat. A hydraulic suction hose then suctions the gravel and mud along the
river. These go through a tailing, and gold fragments are collected on felt mats. The
remaining wastes may be released into the river, thereby causing enormous environmental
damage to the water body. In Ghana, the mining subsector of the Ministry of Lands and
Natural Resources previously the Ministry of Mines and Energy is the state institution that
oversees the mining industry. The environmental aspects of mining are directly regulated by
the Environmental Protection Agency Council Act (EPAC act of 1974) and Mining
Regulations. According to Acquah (1995) the Minerals and Mining Law of 1986 made
provision for environmental protection and pollution prevention.

Small scale mining may be legal (registered) or illegal (not registered). Where they are
registered there is some level of supervision, hence moderate consideration for
environmental concerns (Iddirisu & Tsikata, 1998). Nevertheless, much destruction is done
to the environment in the sense that activities done here are more vigorous and relatively
higher. In situations where small scale activities are not registered, there is no monitoring,
hence these miners are left unchecked, and the degraded environment receives no
remediation. The mining activity in the Upper Denkyira West District is dominated by small
scale mining operations and majority of the population is predominantly farmers growing
both cash and food crops. Mining activities in the district contribute significantly to the
socio-economic development of the people. A great deal of Ghana’s success in growing
enrolment has been counteracted by high drop-out rates and even though there is a close to
gender parity in admittance to school at lower levels, transition rates to junior and senior
high school don’t show as much promise. This implies that Ghana is probable of missing the
2015 MDG goals of universal access for all children. Various governments had paid much
attention to increase school enrollment, attendance and academic performance within the
various districts of Ghana. Recent progress inspires hope of further progress. At the same
time, if the future is to be better than the past, we must also identify new and persistent
challenges. For human development to contribute to national development, improving
learning outcomes for the poorest half of Ghanaian children offers a key opportunity and
challenge. To give meaning to the access and participation component of the Free
Compulsory Universal Basic Education programme, the Ghana Education Service has made a
lot of inroads in the area of infrastructural provision for schools at the dawn of the 21st
Century. It is an established fact that those employed in the small scale mining in this district
are mostly either illiterate or semi-literate. These miners appear to attract their young ones
of schools age into the mining activities either as a means of offering a helping hand or as a
kind of training them to be able to take up from them when they retire. To aggravate the
problem, it appears these students themselves have not concluded whether they will attend
school or not and finally end up in the illegal mining activities. They also have the quest
formoney and riches.

Like many natural resource sectors, the mining industry has been under considerable
pressure in recent years to improve its environmental and social performance. High-profile
disasters have been costly for both natural resource companies and the companies that
insure and finance them (see Table 1). In recent years, a plethora of international initiatives
have sought to address the environmental and social performance of the mining, oil, and
gas industries (see Box 1). These initiatives attempt to address the lack of international
standards governing where and how these companies should operate. Each initiative has a
different focus, but nearly all recognize that some parts of the world may not be suitable for
mineral development. Inherent in all these processes is a vigorous debate on where mining
should or should not occur and what should be taken into account when such decisions are
made. Unfortunately, there is as yet no consensus on international standards for the mining,
oil, and gas industries, and much less on what areas may be unsuitable for development.
Despite the wealth of existing information on the social and environmental impacts of these
sectors, much of it is limited to case study analyses. Very little has been done to quantify the
impacts of mining on specific ecosystems, much less to identify ecosystems that are
vulnerable to the impacts from mining at a global level. The lack of independent data at a
global level makes it difficult to understand the threat posed by mining in remote areas,
which are increasingly being developed for mineral extraction. And without such data, it is
difficult to develop comprehensive international standards for environmentally and socially
responsible mining.
QUESTION
 BODY
Mining Industry in the Philippines has been a controversial issue once again, as the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Gina Lopez advocates
the total ban of mining for responsible and sustainable mining in the country.

Mining in the Philippines has been known early as year 1521. The Philippines is actually the
fifth most mineral-rich country in the world for copper, nickel, gold and chromite. This has
been a home to the largest copper-gold deposit in the world. According to Mines and Geo-
sciences Bureau the country has $840 billion worth untapped mineral wealth.

All regions, except NCR and ARMM allow mining operations. About 30 million hectares of
land areas in the country is deemed as possible areas for metallic minerals. The labor of
department statistics shows that the mining in the country has created 211,000 jobs in 2011
alone.

The total ban of mining rests on the fact that mining activities has a destructive effect on
natural resource, like the destruction of the natural habitat of different animal species. The
dumping of chemicals in the mining could also pollute the other areas near the mining sites.

On the other hand, individuals also have the duty to use natural resources responsibly. The
advocates for responsible and sustainable mining challenge  folks to balance man’s self-
interest and nature’s stability.

However, those people who are in large mining corporations have firmly practiced their
goals of achieving their self-interests forgetting the fact that these are the reasons why
there is an imbalance in the biotic community.

Thus, the government should really take a stand on implementing its legal measures on
mining to prevent destruction on mineral resources.

Below are the list of effects of mining industry in the Philippines.

AIR

Mining has an effect on the quality of the air. Coal mines releases methane that contributes
to environmental issues since it contains greenhouse gas.

Some cooling plants may release these ozone-depleting substances yet the amount released
is just very small.

Heavy metals like sulfur dioxide is polluted into the air by unsafe smelter operations with
insufficient safeguards.
Gold mining industry is actually one of the most destructive industries in the world because
of the toxins released into the air.

Another side effect of mining are acid rain and smog.

A total of 142 million tons of sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, every year
because of smelting and that is 13% of total global emissions.

WATER

When sulfide is oxidized through contact with air via mining, it forms sulfuric acid and when
this is combined with trace elements, it has a negative impact on groundwater. This
happens both surface and underground mines.

Chemical deposits that are left over from explosives are usually toxic and it increase the
salinity of mine water as well as contaminating it. Through the “in situ” mining groundwater
can be directly contaminated, in which a solvent seeps into un-mined rock, leaching
minerals.

Toxins like cyanide and mercury are used in the extraction of minerals that can permanently
pollute the water, making it difficult to the fishermen to find fish.

Spills into the lakes and ocean also add toxic to heavy metals and sulfuric acid to the
environment, where it can take years.

LAND

Land impacts are immense in mining which involves moving large quantities of rock and in
surface mining. Almost all of the mined ore of non-ferrous metals become waste.

Mining activities might as well lead to erosion which is very dangerous for the land.

This also leads to destruction of river banks and changes how the river flows, where it flows,
what lives in it, etc.

Toxins such as cyanide and by products like mercury which is used in the extraction of
minerals can permanently pollute the land and people will no longer be able to farm in
certain places.

Open-pit mining also leaves behind large craters that can be seen from outer-space.

Due to people digging in search of precious minerals, a lot of areas are pock marked by
thousands of small holes.

ECOSYSTEM

Deep sea mines are at risk in eliminating rare and potentially valuable organisms.
Mining also destroys animal habitats and ecosystem.

Those activity that surrounds the mine which includes explosions, transportation of goods,
road construction, the movement of people, the sound made, etc are actually harmful to
the ecosystem and will change the way animals have to live since they will have a new way
to cope with the mine and live around it.

In general, spills of deadly substances have a very negative effect on animals and ecosystem.

Discharged toxins and tailing from the mines can disrupt and disturb the way animals live.

By adding or taking out something from the animals’ everyday lives, mining can completely
destroy the ecosystem.

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Loss of agricultural and livelihood.

Due to huge environmental, social and cultural costs, this puts extreme stress on health,
food security, displacement, and respiratory diseases.

Mining companies who promised to provide scholarships and livelihood to the affected
people are mere palliatives in comparison to the massive environmental destruction and are
long-term negative heath impacts of unsustainable mining practices.

Mining is still considered as a hazardous industry, though it has its advantages  yet the
disadvantages far outweigh the advantages of its existence.

DENR Secretary Gina Lopez believes that the quality of life of the people is more important
rather than the money they make. Although, her order would result to massive job loss and
it could affect her confirmation at the Commission on Appointment (CA), she will still keep
her stand and do her duty despite of all the criticisms she received.

On the other hand, President Rodrigo Duterte also said that he chose to appoint Lopez
because she shares his stand on responsible mining and environmental conservation.

Duterte also stated that, the Filipino people own the mineral resources , however the
current law does not provide for payment for these resources.

Moreover, mining contributes little to the economy, it is not a huge employment generator.
The total contribution of mining is only 234,000 in year 2015 or 0.6% of total employment in
the country.

Thus, the challenge on the current administration is to champion and institutionalize the
genuine reforms in the mining sector.

Another five mining companies were suspended also for various violations.
The mining audit of the DENR found that mining companies operating in Zambales,
Homonhon in Samar, Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte should not have been allowed to
mine because these were in functional watersheds.

Zambales-based Benguet Corp., Eramen Minerals, LNL Archipelago Mining and Zambales
Diversified Metals Corp. are to be closed because of siltation of rivers, illegal cutting of trees
and destruction of watershed, DENR Secretary Gina Lopez at a televised news conference.
Siltation is is a process of making waters polluted due to silt, or mineral particles.

Lopez called the mining situation in Zambales “social injustice.”

In Samar, another three mining companies were suspended by Lopez who showed pictures
of murky waters and destroyed mountains as she explained the department’s order. These
firms are Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., Emir Minerals Corp. and
TechIron Mineral Resources Inc.

Lopez said that these companies caused the siltation of coastal waters and destruction of
watersheds in their areas of operation.

In Dinagat Islands, which has been a mineral reservation area since 1939, seven mining
operations are up for closure due to various environmental violations. These are: AAMPhil
Natural Resources Exploration, Kromico, Inc., SinoSteel Philippines H.Y. Mining Corporation,
Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation, Wellex Mining Corporation, Libjo Mining Corporation
and Oriental Vision Mining Philippines Corp.

Lopez said that despite the presence of nine mining companies in Dinagat Islands, the
province remains poor, belying claims of mining companies that they helped develop
communities where they operated.

Lopez said that as much as 82 percent of income derived from mining operations went to
the companies themselves.

The DENR chief also blamed the government for not developing the eco-tourism potentials
of Dinagat Islands despite its beautiful environment.

Seven mining companies are also up for closure in Surigao del Norte. These are ADNAMA
Mining Resources Corp., Claver Mineral Development Corp., Platinum Development Corp.,
CTP Construction and Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Marcventures Mining and
Development Corp. and Hinatuan Mining Corporation.

Lopez also announced that the operations of four companies were suspended due to
violations. They would be allowed to operate once these issues were addressed.

Suspended are Oceana Gold Mining Operation in Nueva Vizcaya for causing reduced
agriculture production of farmers in the area, Citnickel Mines and Development Corporation
in Narra, Palawan for siltation of river and farm lands, Lepanto Mines and Development
Corporation for leakage of mine tailings into the river and Ore Asia Mining and Development
Corp for siltation of rivers.

Lopez said the DENR is “fully aware” that many workers in the mines would be affected, but
the welfare of the people in these areas was more important.

She believes that stock market and GDP are not good indicators of economic development.
Instead, what’s needed is area development, according to Lopez.

“We can get rid of poverty” through area development, Lopez said.

The Philippines is rich in mineral deposits. According to estimates, the Philippines have the
fifth largest reserve of gold and copper in the world. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimated gold
reserves to be at 967,180,197 MT while Copper was put at 5,301,507,657 MT (2002).
According to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in 2005, the Philippines
have a total of USD 840B worth of mineral wealth just waiting to be exploited.

The National Statistical Coordinating Body (NSCB) in July 31, 2006 pegged total gross value
added (GVA) to be at Php 64B (USD 1.3B), while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central
Bank of the Philippines) stated USD 820M total cost of mining contributions to total exports
in 2005.

The Mining sector employs only a fraction of the total labor force in the country. According
to the July 2006 government census, 134,000 are employed in the mining and quarrying
sector, comprising a mere 0.4% of the total employed.

In 2002 there were only 7 mining tenements approved, namely for Philex Mining
Corporation, Lepanto Victoria Mine, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation, Taganito Mining,
Hinatuan-Cagdianao Mining Corporation and Benguet Corporation Masinloc Mine with a
total tenement area of 23,106 hectares or a mere 5% of the total mineralized area. But as of
November 2005, the number of approved tenements has ballooned to 383 with 2,229
petitions pending approval.

Along with this are 27 Exploration Permits (EP's) covering 99, 323.26 has. and Mineral
Production Sharing Agreements (MPSA) covering 373,623.43 has. Mining operations is on
the upswing since the Supreme Court in 2004, reversed its negative decision on 100%
ownership of mining companies operating in the Philippines. An estimated Php 366B (USD
6.7B) in investments are expected to come from the 24 priority mining projects approved by
the MGB as of 2005.

According to the Roadmap for the Philippine Minerals Industry released by the MGB in
2003, by the year 2009, there will be 455 EP's or 1,685% increase from the number in 2005.
In the same document, the number of MPSA is expected to have a 560% increase from the
present 228, reaching an estimated total of 1,275, with mine exports reaching USD 2B or a
243% increase compared to USD 820M total exports in 2005. The MGB is also expecting
employment in the sector to reach 590,000 by 2009 or a 440% jump.

The threat to human life

‘We have seen the devastating effects of some of the mining operations: the spillages of
mine tailings in Boac, Marinduque, in Sipalay and Hinobaan, in Negros Occidental, in Itogon,
Benguet, and mudflows in Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte. The adverse social impact on the
affected communities, especially on our indigenous brothers and sisters, far outweigh the
gains promised by large-scale mining corporations. Our people living in the mountains and
along the affected shorelines can no longer avail of the bounty of nature.'
Statement of Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, 1998

Mining poses tremendous risks to life and limb, not only to miners but to the community as
well. Countless accidents have happened and have affected thousands of miners in our
country, directly or indirectly caused by hazardous mining operations. There is a very high
social cost of mining and the impact on the society is immeasurable.

Occupational health hazards posed by mining to workers are exposure to intense heat, poor
ventilation, vibration, dust, fumes, repetitive stress injury (RSI), intense noise, manual
handling (e.g. lifting) of heavy machinery and biological and chemical hazards.

Due to the nature of underground mining, miners are constantly exposed to intense heat
while hydration is very limited. Miners usually have fluid and salt deficiency due to constant
sweating, increased stress on the heart, heat stroke, opacity of the lens and reduced fertility
due to high heat.

Poor ventilation robs the body of needed oxygen causing the brain to malfunction and leads
to many deaths especially in underground operations.

Vibration on the other hand can cause permanent damage to bones and vibration syndrome
or "dead finger" syndrome can lead to gangrene in the hands and fingers. It can also cause
digestive problems due to constant shaking of the internal organs, heart problems and
disruption of the nervous system.

Mines exposes workers to different types of airborne particulates, making them vulnerable
to systemic toxic effects due to the absorption of lead, manganese, cadmium, zinc and other
toxic material.

Fumes are emitted by chemicals being used or by the machines being employed during
mining operations. Coupled with poor ventilation, this can trigger accidents and cause death
to workers.
RSI being a soft-issue disorder is caused by overloading of particular muscle group from
repetitive use or maintenance of constrained postures. Miners who suffer from RSI
complain of weakness of the affected muscles, heaviness, "pins and needles" sensation and
numbness.

Noise or irritating and hazardous sound can cause hearing impairment and/or disrupt body
functions like blood circulation and hormone imbalance. Deafness and hearing loss can
become irreversible and other non-auditory effects are increased blood pressure and peptic
ulcer due to increased gastrointestinal motility.

Manual lifting of materials causes back troubles leading to acute pain. A large percentage of
the workers suffer sooner or later from this disorder caused by their type of work.

Because most mines in the Philippines extract gold, the use of sodium cyanide for leaching
gold from finely ground ore is frequent. The use of liquid mercury to create gold-amalgam is
also wide-spread. Cyanide blocks the transfer of oxygen from the blood to the body tissues.
Signs of acute poisoning include rapid breathing, gasping, tremors, convulsions and death.
Effects of sublethal poisoning include headache, dizziness and thyroid enlargement.

Government statistics on occupational accidents in the mining sector are very low compared
to those of other sectors like manufacturing. In 2000, the Bureau of Labor and Employment
Statistics recorded 78 occupational accidents while in the manufacturing sector recorded
46,683. But in the year 2002 there was a tremendous increase of accidents in the mining
industry numbering 822 or 1,053% swell, while the number for the manufacturing
decreased to 33, 872.

The government statistics are telling a very dangerous trend for mining, while accidents in
the industry used to be only 0.1% (2000) of the total occupational accidents; in 2002 it
increased to 1.7% of the total accidents event though only 0.3% of the total labor force was
into mining.

The numbers are few due to many reasons aside from the fact that mining is still a very
small part of the Philippine economy. Though the Philippines signed ILO convention 176
aimed to for governments to undertake and adopt legislation for implementation of
regulation and monitoring of occupational health and safety in mines, in a report by the
Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) released in 2000, there were only 59 accredited
working conditions inspector tasked to monitor and inspect more than 700,000 registered
enterprise, including mining companies.

Accurate data gathering is impossible with such under staffing. Another reason is the
Department of Labor and Employment Order 57-04, citing that companies who employ
more than 200 workers are to do self-assessment on matters of adherence to working
standards.

This is being exploited by big mining companies like Lepanto Consolidated Mining
Corporation.
According to reports from the Lepanto Employees Union, workers who suffered accidents
were forced by the management to punch-in as janitors or office staff just to avoid them
being registered as absent due to the accident they figured in.

In a study by the IOHSAD released in 1997, gold miners from the Itogon-Suyoc Mine
Incorporated showed various symptoms of occupational-related health risks like those
stated above. Workers from the mine department, those engaged in drilling, blasting and
ore delivery showed high incidence of cough and breathing difficulty due to constant dust
exposure.

Excessive sweating was also prevalent among them, along with hypertension and constant
muskulo-skeletal pain.

Pro-active intervention needed

Though at present the mining situation in the Philippines seems better compared to China
or India, the threat to life and limb of present and future miners are still worrisome. The
need for a concerted effort among stakeholders is as urgent as ever to protect and promote
the health and safety of mineworkers.

We propose that the monitoring capacity for OHS and working conditions of mines and
other enterprise in general should be increase and widened to make timely and pro-active
intervention.

Both government and non-government organizations, unions and other key groups should
involve themselves in such an endeavor.

We propose that Health and Safety Education should be given primacy to create culture of
safety among workers. More collaboration between union and NGO’s should occur in
furtherance of the said objective.

The building and strengthening of Health and Safety Committees should be pushed. We
propose that in the case of mines wherein not only workers are the stakeholder but the
community as well.
Community based HSC should be established.

More research and related literature on OHS in Mines should be done and supported.
Although there are existing studies, compared to papers and materials focusing on the
environmental effects of mines, informative and substantive studies on OHS in Mines is far
behind.

The effects of mines are encompassing. There should be greater solidarity among mine
workers around the world, especially in Asia. Solidarity and networking should also be
promoted and developed between environmental, community and labor groups to have a
more well-rounded approach in dealing with mine issues.
 CONCLUSION
A1. Further streamline the exploration permit approval process. Exploration and similar
permits should be grantedtransparently at the regional level within 6 weeks and renewed in
one day atone-stop shops. Impose and enforce a deadline at the regional level for EP
approvals, with close coordination among agencies. The issuance of EPs and the grant of a
mineral agreement for initial exploitation should be reduced from 4 months to 6 weeks.
Renewals should take one day, subject to submission of all pertinent requirements needed
within 15 days from receipt of a renewed EP. (Immediate action DENR)

A2. At the same time, applicants should be vetted strictly to ensure they have both the
required funding and the technical staff to undertake the work. (Immediate action DENR)

A3. Reduce ECC processing time and certificates of non-coverage. Strengthen

implementation of DENR environmental responsibilities under the Mining Act for
environmental protection, and the enhancement program for progressive rehabilitation and
the mine rehabilitation/decommissioning plan for mine closure. (Immediate action DENR)

A4. Allow pre-permitting access by firm to potential project lands to conduct initial
geological studies, mapping, soil sampling, and limited testing. Doing this gives the company
confidence in raising capital and trains local people in mining-related skills. (Immediate
action DENR)

A5. Continue processing of mining applications involved in mining cases or subject

toprotests or oppositions, subject to certain conditions. (Immediate action DENR)

A6. MGB should stricly monitor compliance by mining companies with the Mining Act and
related departmental orders. MGB should cancel permits after two years of non-
performance. Permits specify PhP 500/hectare minimum expenditure. Failure to implement
3-year development program for two consecutive years should be cancellation grounds, as
should failure to present proof of FPIC. Strictly implement three letters of notice policy
against inactive applicants. There should be a comprehensive field inspection to confirm
compliance prior to commissioning a mining project. (Immediate action DENR)

B. Establish regional level one-stop shops to process applications. (Immediate action DENR)

C. Develop model best-practice regions. Look for model regions to showcase best practices
for LGUs working with the mining industry. Strengthen mining regulatory oversight in
several key regions and encourage development therein of 3-5 world-class mines as
showcase for best practices. Their success and economic growth should impress other
regions. (Immediate action DENR)
D. MGB should adopt Philippine Mineral Ore Resources Reserve Reporting Code patterned
after Australia’s Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) guidelines. (Immediate action DENR)

E. Seek to end LGU mining moratoriums. The private sector should request the Solicitor
General to file a case against any LGU that declares mining moratorium. According to a DOJ
order, LGUs cannot stop or go against a national policy. (Immediate action DOJ and private
sector)

F. Provide LGUs with additional funds for community projects by implementing the
simplified joint circular regarding release of mining taxes to LGUs. (Immediate action DOF
and DENR)

G. Continue dialogue with the various local government leagues, the religious sector, and
non-government organizations to find common-ground solutions to issues being raised
against specific mining and exploration projects. (Immediate action LGUs and private sector)

H. As a stakeholder, the industry should actively monitor developments in the Congress and

judiciary, such as the Rules of Procedure on Environmental Cases and the Alternative Mining
Bill. The industry should present its positions and appear at committee hearings and other
public consultations. (Medium-term action private sector)

I. Continue to support revision of the 60-40 equity restriction provision in the

Constitution with respect to land ownership and water, forest and mining rights, when an
appropriate occasion arises. (Continuing action by private sector)

J. Continue implementation of the MAP. Continue active private sector participation in the
MDC. The government needs to be proactive in supporting responsible mining with
stakeholders in local communities. (Immediate action DENR and private sector)

K. Government should work on four programs to move mining industry up the ladder of

industrialization: (1) promote downstream processing and manufacturing for copper, nickel,
gold, and chromite; (2) developcommunity-based supplier industries and services; (3)
improve government benefits from mining; and (4) better control exports of small scale
mining and unprocessed minerals. (Immediate action DENR, DTI, and NEDA)

L. Community building should commence from the first day a company takes interest in an
area for mining. It should inform local people about the company and what it plans to do on
their land. Bring IPs into the mining project as partners from day one. (Immediate action
private sector)

M. Mining firms should support labor intensive, community-run enterprises such as fish

farms and vegetable gardens for the IPs. (Immediate action private sector)

N. Complete the MGB review of regulations (DAO 2000-99) to increase the allocation of
direct mining and milling costs for community development from 1% to 1.5%. The DAO also
permits the use of these funds for information, education and communication campaigns,
and the development of mining and processing technology and geosciences. (Immediate
action DENR)

O. The private sector should help build the capacity of IPs. Help them understand and
exercise their rights, what their claims are, and how investors should interact with them.
(Medium-term action private sector)

P. Increase the budget and technical capacity of the NCIP. (Immediate action DENR, DBM,
and Congress)

Q. When resettling people living in an area to be included in mining operations, find a site

that allows habitation as close as possible to their traditional lands, without endangering the
safety requirements of the mining operation. (Medium-term action private sector)

R. Companies should not pay stipends or occupation fees to local NPA but instead partner
with the IP community. (Immediate action private sector)

S. The private sector should work closely with the MDC committee on mining security,
the DILG undersecretary for peace and order, and the AFP to establish a joint mining
security protocol to guide mining companies in dealing with local security threats and to
formulate short and long-term preventive measures that can be implemented by
companies. (Immediate action DENR, DILG, DND/AFP, and private sector)

T. Exploration companies should conduct security and social assessments in their areas of
operations. Mining security and assessment seminars were organized in most regions in
2009. (Immediate action DENR, DILG with private sector)

U. The mining industry should work closely with the MGB, providing regional offices with
appropriate technical as well as financial support (if permitted), including assisting MGB staff
to attend industry workshops to increase their skills, without leaving the MGB. (Immediate
action DENR and private sector)

V. Geology and mining engineering students following graduation who enter government

service should be assigned to work with a local exploration or mining company to gain
further practical experience, after which they should be offered sufficient incentives to
return to the MGB. (Immediate action DENR and private sector)

W. Government, in partnership with exploration and mining companies, should encourage

more students to study subjects needed in the mining community, such as environmental
management, social infrastructure management, geology, and community development,
including agri-business venture building. (Immediate action DENR, CHED and private sector)

X. Encourage mergers of local mining companies and list more local companies on the
Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). (Action private sector)
Y. Carry out a public information campaign regarding mining and increase dialogue with
concerned groups. Inform public about responsible mining that minimizes environmental
impact. (Immediate action DENR and private sector)

Z. Support the Mining Museum project in Baguio to establish a museum to educate Filipinos
on the importance and uses of mining. Establish smaller museums in other regions where
mining is concentrated. (Medium-term action DENR and private sector)
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