In support of responsible mining
With a new and strong-willed leader at its helm, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) continues to examine the operations of all violators of the country’s mining and environmental laws. Upon taking office, Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez cast a very wide net by ordering an extensive audit of all mines in the country to determine their compliance to government’s responsible-mining policies. As of this writing, the crackdown on irresponsible mining has resulted in the suspension of eight mining firms due to an array of environmental-law violations. The nationwide mining audit is expected to wrap up within the month, but there’s no slowing down in the issuance of suspensions.