The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) – Region XI has confirmed that five small-scale mining tenements, or Minahang Bayan, in the Davao Region have received the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary’s clearance to legally operate.
As reported by the Philippine Information Agency, the cleared Minahang Bayan sites are the Pintatagan Small Scale Mining Producer Cooperative, Development Community Mineral Livelihood Association, Maligdao Small Scale Miners and Producers Association, RD 5M Small Scale Mining Association Inc., and the Tagpura Small-Scale Mining Cooperative.
The five approved tenements cover a combined total of 339 hectares, with four located in Davao Oriental and one (Tagpura) situated in Davao de Oro province.
Meanwhile, nine other locally declared Minahang Bayan remain pending approval from the DENR Secretary, despite being cleared at the regional level.
Atty. Brenice Ann Gendeve-Castillo, Chief of the Mine Management Division of MGB-XI, said the review process was affected by the transition following the appointment of Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who succeeded Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga after her resignation on May 22, 2025.
“Nag back to zero tayo, we have to appraise again the Secretary, but I believe as discussed sa mancom, the Secretary would want to see technicalities and everything concerning the locally declared and thoroughly evaluated ng MGB central so that they would be able to provide necessary clearance,” Castillo said during the third quarter meeting of the Inter-Agency Subcommittee on Gold Trading.
She added that the agency remains hopeful that the nine pending small-scale mining areas will soon be approved by the DENR Secretary after undergoing final evaluation.
Under Republic Act 7076, or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991, Minahang Bayan areas are designated zones for legal, responsible, and regulated small-scale mining operations. The program aims to formalize and monitor small-scale mining activities to ensure environmental protection and worker safety.
Do you think expanding legal Minahang Bayan sites can help curb unregulated small-scale mining in the Philippines?
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