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 (MG...

(Part One of Two) Written by Noel B. Lazaro, Eveart Grace P. Claro, Judd Yonder L. Reyes, and Marielle D. Marbella In the foothills of Brooke’s Point, Palawan, the air is thick with purpose as workers press seedlings into the earth, each one a small promise for a greener future. Two years into its operation, the Ipilan Nickel Project has planted nea...

​ It has been almost four decades since I have worked in the resources and energy industry. My career history can be set against the backdrop of the ups and downs of the industry starting from the time I began working as a government petroleum geologist up to the present where I am both a government regulator and a private law practitioner. I witnes...

In loving memory of Bernabe “Abe” Almirol, journalist (August 25, 1969 – September 17, 2023)

“A symbol of excellence, a source of motivation, of surpassing oneself and of ultimate achievement, medals are much more than objects: they represent the apotheosis in the career of elite athletes.” (Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024) The Paris 2024 Olympics or 2024 Summer Olympics, which started from July 26 and ended in August 11, brought toget...

By Noel B. Lazaro and Mary Louisse S. Inguillo Elizabeth Fisher, a renowned legal scholar at the University of Oxford, reminds us that environmental law isn’t a “magic wand.” Laws alone do not guarantee “happy ever after” endings. On July 8 and 9, the Malcolm Theater at the UP College of Law became a hub for the BIICL Global Toolbox on Corporate Climat...

The Philippines has achieved a milestone in supporting the global response to the threat of climate change with its election last July as the host country of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. The country’s bid, which won over seven other contenders, was prepared through a whole-of government approach led by the Department of Envi...

I applied for the position of Chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology (the “Board”) in 2019. My ordeal started with the submission of my personal data sheets filed under oath, curriculum vitae outlining my academic and career history, and clearances from various government agencies to affirm the fact that I have had no past or existing...

The construction industry, a key contributor to the Philippine economy, generated about seven percent (7%) of the country’s gross domestic product in 2022. The recent COVID-19 pandemic affected the real estate and construction industry and caused financial burden due to additional health and safety requirements, project suspension and delays, and reduced ...

It has been a busy time for earnest discussions on the way forward for the Philippine mining industry with mining being identified as one of five priority areas for investment and clear signals from the national government that it is recognized as a key driver for economic growth. On 10 May 2024, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DEN...

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...