Cimatu orders opening of ‘Minahang Bayan’ in Itogon

ITOGON. Shanties built near tunnels were abandoned in Dalupirip, Itogon following the closure of small scale mining in Benguet. Hopes for the resumption of small scale mining in the province became clear after DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu ordered the immediate opening of a ‘Minahang Bayan.’ (Jean Nicole Cortes)
ITOGON. Shanties built near tunnels were abandoned in Dalupirip, Itogon following the closure of small scale mining in Benguet. Hopes for the resumption of small scale mining in the province became clear after DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu ordered the immediate opening of a ‘Minahang Bayan.’ (Jean Nicole Cortes)

THE STOPPAGE order of illegal small-scale mining remain in effect with the ‘Minahang Bayan’ soon to open in Itogon, Benguet.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu on Wednesday directed the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board to plan the opening of a Minahang Bayan in Itogon.

“I am now directing the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) to immediately open a minahang bayan of 80 hectares,” declared Cimatu.

Section 11 of Executive Order 79 signed by former president Benigno Aquino III in 2012 allows the operations of small-scale mining activities only in declared People’s Small-Scale Mining Area or Minahang Bayan.

Should this take effect, operations of small-scale mining activity will only be allowed within the declared 80 hectare Minahang Bayan inside the Benguet Corporation patented area in Sitio Luneta, barangay Loakan.

The environment secretary held a dialogue to more than 4,000 small-scale miners of Benguet at the DENR Compound in Baguio City and this was his response to the petition filed by small-scale miners to lift the DENR order stopping small-scale mining in Itogon.

“Hindi na illegal ang small scale mining, gagawin nating legal,” said Cimatu.

(Small scale mining will not be illegal anymore, we will make it legal)

Cimatu tasked the PMRB to look for other areas and consider its safety. He reminded small scale miners not to construct houses near the proposed minahang bayan.

PMRB chair and Mines Geosciences Bureau regional director Fay Apil urged miners to comply with requirements including a contract from the PMRB, MGB, governor, civil society including the small-scale mining group.

“This is really very challenging. We have to meet and hopefully iisa lang ang direksyon, magtutulungan kami with all stakeholders for the success of this," says Apil.

(This is really very challenging. We have to meet and hopefully we only have one direction, we help each other with all stakeholders for the success of this.)

Cimatu clarified the exemption of gold panning in the stoppage order and the confiscated gold ores during the Task Force Itogon which will be up to the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board.

He added 20 hectares can accommodate a maximum of 1,000 miners.

Geologist Liza Manzano presented the results and highlights of the geohazard assessment in each barangays of Itogon.

Manzano described the municipality as ‘shopping mall of disaster’ as it is prone to landslides, flashflood and earthquake.

Benguet Federation Small Scale Miners President Lomino Kaniteng said the federation with 20,000 members proposed four minahang bayan areas namely in Itogon, Tuba, Mankayan and Bakun.

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