News
15 November 2024
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Formalizing the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector continues to be a significant challenge. Based on planetGOLD Philippines’ 2021 contextual study, the difficulties stem from weak policy enforcement and monitoring, limited technical capacities among stakeholders, inadequate government support for formalization efforts, low awareness of the requirements and procedures for formalization, and limited acceptance and recognition by non-ASGM stakeholders on small-scale mining as a viable livelihood and a key contributor to economic development.
In further support of efforts to formalize the ASGM sector, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) and Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) Philippines, under the planetGOLD Philippines Project, conducted a series of Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board (P/CMRB) Workshop sessions for Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs) and MGB Regional Offices from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Photo 1: planetGOLD Philippines Team with Participants from PLGUs and MGB ROs (Mindanao Leg)
Photo 2: planetGOLD Philippines Team with Participants from PLGUs and MGB ROs (Luzon Leg)
Photo 3: planetGOLD Philippines Team with Participants from PLGUs and MGB ROs (Visayas Leg)
The Mindanao leg took place at The Farm at Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City, South Cotabato on 15-18 October 2024, followed by the Luzon leg at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City, Metro Manila on 22-25 October 2024, and lastly, the Visayas leg at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Cebu City on 28-31 October 2024. The four-day workshop aimed at delineating the support functions of the Board to the LGUs, particularly the processes of Declaration of Minahang Bayan (MB), Registration and Licensing of Small-Scale Miners (MRL), Application for Small-Scale Mining Contracts (SSMC), and Issuance of Mineral Processing License (MPL).
During the workshop, the participants identified processes relevant to their current practices. Grouped by region, PLGUs highlighted and shared their best practices. Ms. Roxan Susalo from PLGU of Davao Occidental emphasized the importance of regulating the SSM sector, noting that processes vary between LGUs. “The small-scale mining industry must be properly regulated. There are no one-size-fits-all processes as observed during the presentation and benchmarking the best practices from provinces with existing Minahang Bayan is one of the best ideas.” Participants also recognized the need for ongoing improvement of policy gaps and the establishment of streamlined processes to support the effective implementation of DAO 2022-03 and related laws.
Based on the processes and subprocesses they have previously identified, the participants were instructed to determine the needs of their respective LGUs in terms of budget, tools, training, and personnel availability. Ms. Reina Frances Requieron from MGB RO VII noted the need to capacitate LGUs to effectively carry out their roles if the support functions are defined. “Most of the LGUs are not yet equipped with sufficient knowledge, skills, and manpower complement to operationalize the activities involved for the implementation of the SSM Program.”
In addition, the seminar-workshop sessions included expert-led discussions on the following topics:
- planetGOLD Philippines Project Overview and Updates by Ms. Abigail Ocate, National Project Manager and Ms. Meggy Katigbak, Gender and Investment Specialist;
- The Code of Risk-mitigation for Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Engaging in Formal Trade (CRAFT) Code planetGOLD Version by Ms. Meggy Katigbak;
- Stories from the field: Lessons and challenges from the planetGOLD Philippines project sites by Ms. Dawn Po Quimque, National Communications Officer and Ms. Mildred Arucan, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist;
- Salient Features of RA No. 7076 or the “People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991” and its RIRR (DAO 2022-03) by Engr. Jami Villaroman;
- Application for Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau by Mr. Jessie Gayosa, Senior Environmental Management Specialist (Mindanao), Mr. Fauzi Marc Abing, Senior Environmental Management Specialist (Luzon), Engr. Fred Barriga, Environmental Management Specialist II (Visayas);
- Provision of the list of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and FPIC Process by Ms. Astrid Kate Ramirez, Community Affairs Officer I (Mindanao), Engr. Edgardo P. Labordo, Jr., Chief, Technical Management Services Division (Visayas);
- Overview of the Knowledge Management Platform under the planetGOLD Project by Engr. Joven Battung, Chief, Small-Scale Mining Development Section and Ms. Abigail Ocate;
- Requirements and Procedures in the Selling of Gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas by Mr. Johannes Bantugan, Bank Officer IV (Mindanao), Atty. Dante Cambri, Bank Officer IV (Luzon), Mr. Neptalie Clacio, Jr., GSB Head (Visayas);
- P/CMRB Operational Duties and Responsibilities under RA No. 7076 by Engr. Herwin Jhon Lor and Engr. Joven Battung;
- Application Process Flow of Apayao MB/SSMC/Registration and MB/SSMC/Registration pursuant to DAO 2022-03 by Engr. Ibarra Sereño
On the whole, the workshop successfully provided a platform for the LGUs and the Regional Offices to discuss their roles in the processes involved in the SSM sector and to share their best practices that could serve as models. Mr. Luigi Gil Caceres shared that they gained ideas from other provinces that could be adopted in the future. “For every region, the process flow for MB, SSMC, Licensing/Registration, and MPL applications really differs. We were able to get some ideas from other regions/provinces that we can eventually adopt in our own region/province.”
Finally, Ms. Cecilia Ochavo-Saycon, MGB RO VI Regional Director, expressed her gratitude to the participants for their engagement and insights, which helped clarify the support roles and responsibilities of both National Government Agencies (NGAs) and LGUs relative to the Board under RA 7076. “This workshop has provided us an invaluable platform to collaborate on the issues and opportunities pertaining to SSM, making it clear that achieving a balance between development and environmental stewardship requires collaboration and commitment among stakeholders. And seeing how invested everyone [was] in doing the workshop earlier and yesterday, I am encouraged with the commitment shown by everyone here. So, thank you. Let us take the knowledge gathered during this workshop forward into our respective roles. Together, we can build a sustainable future for the generations to come.”
The Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board (P/CMRB) Workshop is part of the activities organized by planetGOLD Philippines to implement one of its components, which is the formalization of the ASGM sector. This initiative helps protect the ASGM stakeholders and assists the government in the management and regulation of the sector.
The planetGOLD Philippines Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and executed by the Artisanal Gold Council.
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