The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) has recognized seven mining companies for responsible mining practices under its inaugural Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Excellence Awards, highlighting the industry's efforts to strengthen environmental, social and governance standards.
Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp. emerged as the sole Gold Awardee in the Cross-Cutting category, which recognizes companies that have integrated responsible mining principles into their leadership, governance, innovation and community relations.
COMP Chairman Michael Toledo said responsible mining must be demonstrated through measurable performance in environmental protection, worker safety, community engagement and corporate governance.
"Responsible mining isn't measured by good intentions. It is proven in how we safeguard our lands and waters, protect the health and safety of our people, partner with local communities and Indigenous peoples, and maintain strong, transparent governance," Toledo said.
The awards were presented during the Mining Philippines 2026 International Conference and Exhibition at Conrad Manila. The ceremony was attended by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Assistant Secretary for Mining Concerns Michael Cabalda, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Larry Heradez, and Mining Association of Canada President Pierre Gratton.
Cabalda said the TSM initiative complements government regulation by helping mining companies improve their environmental, social and governance performance, strengthen investor confidence and gain social acceptance.
He also commended COMP for promoting higher industry standards and demonstrating the Philippines' potential as a reliable and responsible supplier of critical minerals for the global energy transition.
Heradez said mining's contribution to national development must extend beyond economic benefits to include environmental protection, worker safety and support for host communities.
"TSM helps companies assess their performance, go beyond compliance, and continuously improve their practices," Heradez said, describing responsible mining as a shared responsibility among industry, government and other stakeholders.
The awards covered the 2024 and 2025 external verification cycles, with accredited independent verifiers assessing companies against established TSM protocols and criteria.
In the Cross-Cutting category, TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc., CTP Construction & Mining Corp., Filminera Resources Corp., Philex Mining Corp., Taganito Mining Corp. and OceanaGold Philippines Inc. received Silver Awards.
For Community Partnership and Shared Development, Taganito Mining, CTP Construction & Mining and Rio Tuba Nickel received Gold Awards.
In Safety Leadership and Zero Harm Excellence, Rio Tuba Nickel and CTP Construction & Mining received Gold Awards, while Taganito Mining earned Silver.
For Water Stewardship and Watershed Responsibility, OceanaGold Philippines and Rio Tuba Nickel received Gold Awards. TVI Resource Development Philippines' Balabag Gold-Silver Project received Silver for the same protocol.
Filminera Resources' Masbate Gold Project also received Silver for Nature Positive Mining Excellence.
OceanaGold Philippines and Philex Mining both secured Gold Awards for Tailings Integrity and Risk Governance Excellence, with each recording a perfect score of 5.0 in the protocol assessment.
COMP also presented Gratton with a special award recognizing the Mining Association of Canada's contribution to the adoption and implementation of TSM in the Philippines, following a cooperation and partnership agreement between the organizations in 2017.
Toledo said the mining industry must continue improving its practices as community expectations and global sustainability standards evolve, emphasizing that responsible mining requires sustained commitments to environmental protection, community welfare and public trust.
