Following the President’s directive to the mining industry to follow the rules and the law, including those that protect the environment, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has strengthened its mine monitoring activities in the Caraga Region by creating teams to conduct quarterly monitoring of mining operations, specifically in Region XIII. 

To make monitoring more systematic and comprehensive, the MGB has come up with new checklists summarizing the environment, safety, social and mining tenement obligations of mining companies.

The checklists and teams were formed during the two-day Orientation Workshop conducted in preparation for the conduct of monitoring activities involving the 26 operating mines and two mineral processing plants in Caraga.  The teams were created in compliance with MGB Special Order No. 2017-114 dated July 28, 2017.

Eight teams, with four members each, were tasked to check quarterly the MGB-approved programs on: 1) annual safety and health, 2) environment, 3) social development and management; and 4) utilization/development work.  The strict compliance with the terms and conditions of the mining contract or permit will also be ensured.

The workshop was held at the Sulo Riviera Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City last August 3 - 4, and was attended by selected personnel from the Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division and the Mining Tenements Management Division of the MGB Central and Regional Office Nos. X, XII and XIII.

Source: MGB

• [Editor:tianmichai]