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09 September 2024
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QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – The artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector continues to face significant challenges in formalization, according to a 2021 contextual study by planetGOLD Philippines. Barriers such as inconsistent policy enforcement, limited technical capacities, insufficient government support, and low public awareness of the sector's potential hinder its integration into the formal economy. To address these gaps, planetGOLD Philippines recently introduced the Knowledge Management (KM) Platform, a digital tool designed to streamline ASGM-related transactions and foster stronger collaboration among miners, government agencies, and other stakeholders. With this innovation, the once time-consuming formalization process is now just a click away.
The KM Platform serves as a one-stop shop for small-scale mining transactions, bridging the gap between miners and government agencies by simplifying processes and providing up-to-date information on policies, datasets, and services. It facilitates online applications for documents required for formalization, such as miner registration, Minahang Bayan petitions, Small-Scale Mining Contracts, and Mineral Processing Licenses, while offering tools for government collaboration, a help desk for miner concerns, and map generation features linked to Google Maps for better geographic visualization.
Aligned with planetGOLD Philippines’ Component 1: Formalization, which seeks to professionalize the sector and integrate the local workforce into the formal economy, the KM Platform has been in development since 2022, led by the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) Philippines. Developed in close collaboration with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the platform has been refined through presentations at various conferences and workshops with miners and government offices. Set for an official launch early next year, it aims to transform how ASGM stakeholders interact with regulatory processes and information.
Photo 1: Ms. Ms. Mildred Arucan of AGC Philippines-planetGOLD Philippines presenting the background of the development of KM Platform.
On 30 August 2024, the planetGOLD Philippines conducted initial testing of the KM Platform at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) office in Quezon City. The event gathered 17 participants from the two project sites: the MGB Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Region V Offices, along with representatives from the Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs) of Mountain Province and Camarines Norte. During the session, the platform service provider presented a detailed walkthrough of the platform’s features, after which participants tested various modules, including miner registration and SSM-related applications.
Participants provided constructive feedback, highlighting opportunities for improvement. Mr. Stephen Joshua Blanco of MGB CAR suggested including an option to create accounts for entire mining associations rather than just individual miners. Ms. Emerine San Gaspar of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Camarines Norte proposed linking coordinate data to Google Maps, enabling automatic map generation at provincial, regional, and national levels.
Dr. Sarah Marie Pante-Aviado, Provincial Information Officer of Camarines Norte and a Project Steering Committee member of planetGOLD Philippines with over two decades of advocacy for ASGM, emphasized the platform’s potential to address long-standing formalization challenges.
“Formalization has been a major bottleneck for small-scale miners, especially in provinces like ours, where ASGM is a primary livelihood. This platform is a great stepping stone, offering an innovative solution that simplifies processes and enables real-time access to critical data. It bridges the gap between miners and government agencies, paving the way for a more inclusive and streamlined formalization process,” she said.
Photos 2 and 3: planetGOLD Philippines Team with participants MGB CAR and Region V and PLGU of Mountain Province and Camarines Norte during the KM Platform Testing.
In her opening remarks on behalf of Ms. Abigail Ocate, National Project Manager of AGC Philippines, Ms. Mildred Arucan, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of AGC PH for the planetGOLD Philippines Project, emphasized the crucial role of formalization as the first step in supporting miners.
“We know that helping miners begins with formalization, and this platform is one of the Project’s key efforts to make that possible,” she said. “This tool is a game-changer—not just for miners within our project sites but also for those beyond them, including those mining resources other than gold. It reflects our collective commitment to advancing formalization, improving access to vital resources, and fostering stronger collaboration between miners, government agencies, and stakeholders.”
The planetGOLD Philippines sees the Knowledge Management Platform as a major step forward for the ASGM sector. Formalization isn’t just about getting miners to comply with regulations—it’s about giving them the tools to protect their rights while helping the government regulate the sector more effectively. The platform simplifies the formalization process, making it easier for miners to connect with government agencies and access the support they need. As it prepares for its official launch, planetGOLD Philippines is helping shift the ASGM sector toward a future where innovation, transparency, and collaboration drive lasting change.
The Artisanal Gold Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the socio-economic conditions of artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities. Through capacity building, environmental stewardship, and community engagement, the AGC promotes responsible mining practices that benefit both people and the planet. AGC is the executing agency of the GEF-funded and UN-implemented planetGOLD Philippines Project.
The planetGOLD Philippines is a five-year project funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Office and the United Nations Environment Program. In the Philippines, the Project is executed by the Artisanal Gold Council (a non-governmental organization) in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. The Project is designed to address key issues linked to the continued mercury use in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector and to provide sustainable development opportunities for the communities involved.
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