The recent October monthly meeting of the Philippine Mining and Exploration Association (PMEA) was filled to capacity as industry players eagerly awaited the keynote of newly appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Assistant Secretary (ASec.) for Mining Concerns and concurrent OIC Director of the Mines & Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Michael Cabalda.
In his prepared speech, ASec. Cabalda highlighted a number of initiatives including: (1) pushing a proposed Department Administrative (DAO) order articulating a policy framework that would allow the country to gain from our mineral wealth; (2) streamlining the permitting process to reduce the time to 11 months or shorter; and (3) reviewing the Small Scale Mining Act to formalize small scale miners and increase their contributions. These initiatives envision a mining industry that is not only an ore supplier but a critical player in mineral processing and downstream manufacturing.
The more spirited portion of the program was the Q&A where it was apparent that the audience was keen to hear directly from Assistant Secretary Cabalda in his first engagement with industry since his appointment.
Asked how soon the MGB will be able to implement the above policy changes, particularly the reduction of the processing period for permits, Assistant Secretary Cabalda credited DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga for leading these initiatives, foremost of which is giving the MGB Director the authority to sign documents that previously needed to be cleared. He also spoke about a more active MGB with respect to the pricing of nickel, statistics on safety and environment, among others.
Most encouraging was his assurance “Help me out and I’ll try to deliver and give you what you need.” He added that the “MGB is your partner. We will be with you when you do your work.” His warning “and we will punish you when you don’t” drew laughter from the crowd.
A recurring theme was the need for communication between the government and the private sector and institutionalizing a mechanism for government to address problems raised by industry. A suggestion to hold regular dialogs with industry was well received.
In addition, Asec. Cabalda expressed the need to touch base with his ‘council of elders’ or the MGB old-timers who possess the institutional knowledge and experience to be applied to (not-so-new) issues. This is expected to promote consistency in the MGB’s interpretation and application of issuances across the different regional offices. He likewise reiterated that he intends to build on what MGB, and the regional directors have done.
Another key strategy is to digitize all records and information to eliminate the current antiquated paper-based system. With information being available online and available in real time, there will be greater transparency, as well as identification of where the bottlenecks are.
As Asec. Cabalda discussed the need for coordination with other government agencies, particularly the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the Department of Interior and Local Government, I recalled his comments (prior to his appointment) during the May 2024 “Mining Summit” where he said that there is no need to reinvent the wheel as there is an existing and comprehensive Minerals Action Plan prepared by the Minerals Development Council back in 2004, with specific and detailed items to address the identified challenges. Even 19 years later, it is replete with implementable action items.
It bodes well that our new MGB Director is approaching his role with openness and candor. The industry can do no less by responding in kind.
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Postscript: Due to family commitments, I missed the Chamber of Mines’ “Digging Deeper” Policy Forum and will also miss, for the first time in recent years, PMSEA’s Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference (ANMSEC).
The ANMSEC has always been an opportunity for Diwata-Women in Resource Development to contribute to the discussion of important mining issues, as well inviting the participation of the ambassadors of countries which are developed mining jurisdictions.
One particularly memorable event for me was our 2012 forum featuring the Deputy Mineral Resources Minister of South Africa, Godfrey Oliphant. He was a fiery and outspoken advocate for mining, despite his once being a member of South Africa’s Communist Party. His story of how he came to realize the important role that mining played in South Africa’s economy was the perfect counterpoint to the student activists who had met him in UP Baguio.
