THE minahang bayan application of the Benguet Federation of Small Scale Miners (BFSSM)7 involving eight areas in Itogon and Tuba has been forwarded to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu for clearance.
The group’s application for minahang bayan that was submitted to Benguet’s Provincial Mining Regulatory Board covers 4,420 hectares located in Loacan, Tuding, Gumatdang, Ucab, Poblacion, Virac, Ampucao in Itogon and Camp 4 in Tuba, Benguet.
Santiago Bugnosen, PMRB technical working group member, said all eight lots have complete documents. These were forwarded to the Secretary.
PMRB earlier penned a resolution approving the areas operated by Loacan Itogon Pocket Miners Association (LIPMA) as minahang bayan.
“There are existing small scale miners associations operating in the area whose rights must be respected and be given priority or preference in the awarding of a small scale mining contract,” the resolution added.
LIPMA applied for 64.6486 hectares which was evaluated and verified by Mines Geosciences Bureau Central Office and endorsed to Department of Environment and Natural Resources for clearance.
Some 56.2072 hectares of the minahang bayan area are patented mining areas which do not require Free Prior and Informed Consent process while the 8.4414 hectares requires FPIC process.
Following the declaration of minahang bayan, miners still need to apply for small-scale mining contract to be approved by the PRMB for a maximum of 20 hectares per contract.
On the same day, PMRB co-chair and Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso urged miners to abide by small-scale mining rules and regulations.