Antimining groups under the Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) slammed government regulators on Monday, following a reported plan to “streamline” the issuance of mining project permits.
“We believe MGB [Mines and Geosciences Bureau] has misinterpreted the instructions of President Duterte. He [Duterte] said [the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should ensure that the environmental impacts of mining are reduced and that more rigid monitoring must be done,” Jaybee Garganera, ATM national coordinator told the BusinessMirror in a text message.
Garganera was reacting to an announcement issued over the weekend by the MGB detailing its proposal to streamline the permitting process for mining projects.
“This move of the MGB to streamline the permitting process is an attempt to fast-track the resumption of canceled and suspended mines, and to anticipate the impending contract [expiry] of several operating mines between 2018 and 2019,” Garganera said.
Garganera was referring to the mining contracts of Didipio in Nueva Vizcaya; Manicani in Samar; Cantilan in Surigao del Sur; and Tampakan in South Cotabato.
According to Garganera, the move is “questionable” at the least, saying it was done in haste, and that no consultations with affected sectors were even conducted.
“We doubt that even LGUs [local government units] we’re consulted on this,” he said.
According to Garganera, they suspect that the MGB wants to fast-track its streamlining process because the Mining Industry Coordinating Council will soon release two controversial decisions—the review of the closure/suspension orders of the mining audit and the recommended lifting of the ban on open-pit mining.
“The proposed streamlining process is designed to either cushion the impacts of this decision or circumvent the eventual closures/suspension orders,” Garganera said.
Posted on its web site over the weekend, the MGB said that, following the directive of Duterte to all government agencies to reduce the number of requirements in applying for permits, the MGB has proposed to rationalize the requirements for the different types of mining applications.
The streamlining applies to applications for exploration permit (EP), mineral production-sharing agreement (MPSA), declaration of mining project feasibility (DMPF), mineral processing permit (MPP), industrial sand and gravel permit (ISGP), operating agreement (OA) and deed of assignment for MPSA (DOA).
From 19 and 10 documentary requirements for new and renewal of EP, respectively, the requirements will be reduced to 15 and 8, respectively.
For MPSA renewal, the 16 documentary requirements will be lessened to six.
The 16 and nine documentary requirements for DMPF for integrated MPSA and EP, respectively, will be cut down to 15 and eight.
For MPP renewal, the 13 documentary requirements will be reduced to 10.
For new and renewal of ISGP, the 20 and 13 documentary requirements, respectively, will be cut down to 16 and four, respectively.
Finally, for OA, the seven documentary requirements will be reduced to five; while the 13 documentary requirements for DOA will be lessened to 10.
The streamlining proposal is currently undergoing review by the MGB regional offices until September 15, before it is finalized for publication.
The decision to rationalize the requirements was arrived at during the MGB Management Conference held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City from August 30 to September 2.