BENGUET Governor Melchor Diclas is eyeing a meeting with Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu to discuss concerns on small-scale mining.

“Regarding mining wala siyang nasabi, it’s part also of the environment. For us we still have problems with regards to small-scale mining here in Benguet,” the governor said, referring to the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Diclas said he hoped the meeting will pave for ways to help displaced miners find another livelihood.

To recall, Cimatu ordered a stop to all illegal small scale mining activities in the Cordillera region last year after the massive landslide in Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet that killed close to 100 individuals.

“I will try to talk with Secretary Roy Cimatu arranging courtesy call regarding this problem.”

Mining is the second economic driver of the province next to agriculture.

With the typhoon season, the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) passed a resolution reactivating the Task Force Mining Challenge to ensure prevention of mining-related disasters similar to what happened in Itogon, Benguet last September 2018.

RLECC wants to enforce strict monitoring of mining activities to avoid untoward incidents.