Silangan Mindanao Mining Co., Inc. (SMMCI) recently welcomed the Barangay Local Government Unit of Macalaya, led by Barangay Captain Archelle Ongayo and his council, for a full-day site learning visit at the Silangan Project.
The visit was designed to give the barangay officials a firsthand look at the mine’s ongoing development, safety protocols, and commitment to transparency.
The day began with a safety orientation and company policy briefing before the group proceeded underground. There, Mine Superintendent Engr. Gonzales walked them through mining operations and key milestones.
The officials witnessed two recent achievements hailed as engineering feats for SMMCI: the connection of Shaft 2 bottom to the main exhaust drive and the completion of the South ore perimeter drive to the main exhaust drive. The council also toured the refuge chamber, where they learned about its role in protecting workers during emergencies.
Back on the surface, the group visited the process plant area, where Engr. Caturan guided them through the facilities under construction, explaining how the plant will function once completed. At the High Voltage Switchyard, Engr. Gozon detailed how the project will source its power.
The final leg of the tour brought the visitors to the Tailings Storage Facility in Sison. TSF Superintendent Engr. Anyog explained how the site will responsibly manage and store tailings from the process plant, assuring the officials of the project’s commitment to environmental safeguards.
Throughout the day, SMMCI’s technical team openly addressed questions from the barangay council, underscoring the company’s pledge to transparency and dialogue.
“For us, it is important that our leaders and stakeholders see what is happening on the ground,” an SMMCI representative said. “We want them to understand that responsible and principled mining guides everything we do.”
Barangay Captain Ongayo, who led the delegation, said the visit helped them better appreciate the scale and safeguards of the Silangan Project. “This experience gave us confidence that the company values safety, responsibility, and open communication with the community,” he said.
By opening its operations to scrutiny and engagement, Silangan Mining aims to strengthen trust with its host communities while moving forward with one of Mindanao’s most significant mining projects.
