MINING industry players, responsible mining, and anti-mining advocates in the Philippines are set to convene on September 22 to 23, to address pressing issues in the mining sector in Davao City, Mindanao Association of Mining Engineers (Maem) President Engineer Alexis Baligod bared Monday during Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City.
The Maem National Convention, dubbed as (Responsible) Misconceptions of Mining Industry aims to tackle the false perception of the public about mining. They will also raise issues that would be debated on and clarified during the event.
Baligod, who is also a member of the Alliance of Responsible Miners of Region (Armor)-Davao pointed out in an interview with SunStar Davao, one of the misconceptions about mining industries, that they have not done their share for social development.
“Yong walang nagawa ang mga mining socially,” he said, noting that mining companies have their several scholars who eventually become mining engineers, geologist, mechanical engineers, and teachers.
The two-day activity will also have a symposium and open forum.
Topics to be discussed includes the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 “an internationally accepted standard that outlines how to put an effective environmental management system in place in the organization”, Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC), MMT, which should be implemented by any operating Maem.
“Para ma-monitor ang mga activities,” Baligod said.
The event is open for everybody. They invited anti-mining advocates to eradicate their negative perception on the mining sector and provide them sufficient information on how responsible mining is being done.
“Actually, the mining engineers are the one who have organized the event. Invited lahat ng mga tao,” he said.
Baligod also expressed his acceptance on the decision of the government as long as it is within the context of mining engineering and mining law of 1995.
“We are open for that, we are ready to confront her, we are ready to accept whatever the government should tell us to do,” Baligod said.
“It will depend upon her, it is her own decision,” he said when asked if after the event, Secretary Lopez might regard mining with a difference lens.