Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC), the Surigao-based operating arm of one of the country’s leading nickel ore producers, Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI), was honored with the Best Adopt-an-Estero/Waterbody Program award at Water Summit 2025, held June 27 in Quezon City.
Organized by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Water Summit 2025 brought together key government and private sector stakeholders to showcase innovation and sustainable practices in water quality management and ecosystem rehabilitation.
This year’s theme, Community-Led Rehabilitation and Multi-Sector Partnerships: Empowering Communities through the Adopt-an-Estero Program, highlighted initiatives that empower communities and demonstrate long-term environmental impact.
PGMC stood out as one of only two mining sites recognized — and the sole nickel mining company to receive this distinction — underscoring its industry leadership in environmental stewardship. The award acknowledged PGMC’s more than decade-long commitment to rehabilitating and protecting the Kinalablaban River in Claver, Surigao del Norte, under the Adopt-an-Estero/Waterbody Program (AEWBP).
Key rehabilitation efforts included river cleanups, riverbank stabilization through boulder linings, revegetation with more than 30,000 hills of indigenous plants and bamboo, waste segregation and recycling initiatives in partnership with the local government unit, and regular water quality monitoring. These interventions restored an ecologically healthier river system, leading to improved water flow, enhanced vegetation, and better water quality.
Beyond ecological gains, the initiative provided the local community with a functional river ecosystem, reinforced PGMC’s role in advancing environmental protection, and demonstrated its alignment with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and commitment to responsible mining.
This recognition affirms PGMC’s dedication to going beyond compliance and leading by example in natural resource protection. FNI is currently exploring ways to replicate the program in its other operational areas as part of its continuing commitment to responsible and sustainable mining practices.
