As Chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology, December of last year was quite a busy month. I was given the honor to present the keynote speech during the opening of the Geological Convention (GeoCon) 2023 last 05 December 2023 and the Oath Taking Ceremonies for New Geologists on 11 December 2023. In my speeches, I emphasized the importa...
With the recent pronouncements of the newly appointed Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs, Frederick Go, that mining is at the top of the government’s list of five priority areas [the other four being semiconductors, agriculture, steel, and pharmaceutical industries], expectations are high that this administration will finally deliver ...
The global nickel market has recently experienced a significant downturn, marked by a sharp decline in nickel prices, plummeting by over 50% within 12 months. This unsettling trend has reverberated across nickel mines worldwide, impacting the Philippine mining industry. As nickel prices continue their downward spiral, Philippine mines face mounting cha...
Amidst inflation, supply chain interruptions, geopolitical upheaval, the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their subsequent effects on the energy and industrial commodities markets, mining companies are facing enormous challenges in achieving their profitability and sustainability goals. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) consider...
At the recently concluded Mining Philippines 2023, Undersecretary Carlos Primo David, speaking on behalf of DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, detailed how the department is focusing on government-led exploration targeting critical minerals needed to transition to renewable energy. The limited budget of PHP60 million for minerals exploration, h...
Last year, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said in a press con that in order to boost government revenue from existing mining operations, he wants exported ores to be processed locally. [1] “What we would like to do is encourage that the value added [taxes] to the raw ores stay in the Philippines as much as possible. Whether there should b...
Obtaining the approval and trust of indigenous people (IPs)/indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) is one of the biggest challenges faced by mining companies operating in areas forming part of their ancestral domains. In line with the objective of Diwata-Women in Resource Development’s major advocacy of working with indigenous people, with a special e...
The regulatory oversight of the mining sector is complex with multiple government administrative agencies and legislative bodies involved in the implementation and drafting of laws in relation to environmental, social, and governance matters. Through active monitoring and close coordination with the mine developer, government regulators can promote enviro...
Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc. (Diwata) celebrates on 17 July 2023, 11 years since its founding. However, due to the “lost year” due to the pandemic, Diwata’s leadership considers it only its 10th anniversary. Notwithstanding this, and in view of its active presence in the mining industry, it would seem that Diwata has been around for much...
On 3 March 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos signed into law Republic Act 7942 known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1885. It is described as " an Act instituting a new system of mineral resources exploration, development, utilization and conservation". In the same year, the President assigned me as the Philippine Ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australi...
This issue marks a special occasion in the history of Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc. (Diwata), celebrating a decade of achievements from Diwata’s founding on Nelson Mandela Day. While 2013 is actually our 11th year of existence, the pandemic did not allow us to have in-person activities in 2020-2021. Our “10th-anniversary” celebration at the...
Introduction: The global mining industry is currently facing a severe worker shortage, creating a remarkable opportunity for Filipino professionals to excel in this field. Countries like Australia and Canada are witnessing a surge in mining investments. In the resource extraction and processing space, Filipino mining engineers, geologists, and metallurgis...
There were reasons to be optimistic about the mining industry in the past two years. It started with the the lifting of the ban on open pit mining and moratorium on new mining projects, and the renewal of the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (“FTAA”) of Oceana Gold in 2021. Last year, the Philippines also rejoined the Extractive Industrie...
Photo credit: Paul Putong/The United States Embassy for the photos The Philippines is acknowledged to be the fifth most mineralized country in the world, with an estimated USD1 trillion in untapped reserves of copper, gold, nickel, zinc and silver. Recent statistics from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) indicate that there are only 49 operating ...
The year 2022 saw a myriad of challenges as the Russian war on Ukraine, inflation, market volatility, food shortages, rising energy prices, and lingering pandemic impacts continue to shape global markets. The early part of last year was a robust period for the metals and mining sector. The industry was buoyed by record high prices for some commodities, su...
Commentary by: Mr. Francisco “Jun” Delfin Mr. Francisco “Jun” Delfin is Vice President & COO of PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) and President of Maibarara Geothermal Inc. (MGI), subsidiaries of publicly-listed and Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC) affiliate PetroEnergy Resources Corp. He is a geologist with a PhD in public administration from the ...
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