REPRESENTATIVES from various mining firms in the Cordillera were invited to undergo an orientation workshop which focuses on the guidelines for compliance monitoring and ratings scorecard of mining permits.
Fay Apil, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-Cordillera regional director, said the objective of the four-day workshop is to see to it all mining firms in the region are complying with the requirements and conditionalities regarding their operations.
“We have always been monitoring the mining companies in the region on their compliance and for the first time, they will undergo the process of a grading system and a scorecard to see to it that all areas needing compliance will be met,” Apil said.
MGB recently signed Memorandum Circular no. 2018-02 “unifying and standardizing the monitoring system of major mining permits/contracts, and establish a performance rating system for contractors/permittees and permit holders. This will ensure strict compliance to the terms and conditions of the permits/contracts and pertinent laws, rules and regulations.”
Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02, or the Guidelines for Compliance Monitoring and Rating/Scorecard of Mining Permits/Contracts was signed on July 3, 2018.
“We will be stricter this time. Penalties will be applied to those not complying with the various requirements set specially to those who consistently does not comply which will lead to the suspension of the firms permit or even the cancellation of its permit,” the MGB director stated.
The Circular contains the Standard Monitoring Checklist for Tenements; Safety and Health; Environmental Management and Social Development; and a Compliance Scorecard that will be utilized by the MGB Regional Offices to determine and measure the compliance of each contractor/permittee/permit holder.
Only the contractors/permittees/permit holders that comply with all the mandatory requirements and attain an over-all performance rating of 80 percent will be rendered compliant.
Contractors/permittees/permit holders who fail to meet the standards will be rendered non-compliant, which is a ground for the imposition of penalties/suspension/cancellation.
“This is a chance for the mining companies to show their compliance. We also urge these mining firms to have their own grading system and scorecards prior to undergoing this annual grading system,” Apil added.
The issuance of the circular is pursuant to Sec. 9 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995; Sec. 7 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 2010-21, or the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation of RA No. 7942; and RA No. 10964, or the General Appropriations Act of 2018, particularly the provisions for Performance Informed Reporting.