Mining companies in Benguet province are joining forces with environmental agencies to combat forest fires in the Cordillera region, marking a significant step in collective efforts to protect the area’s natural resources.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Director Paquito Moreno and Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Fay Apil, together with representatives from Benguet Corporation, Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc., Philex Mining Corporation, and Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation, have inked the partnership.
With the signed agreement, the DENR will lead information campaigns about forest fires and their prevention, coordinate with the mining companies to prevent and suppress fires and provide capacity-building activities related to forest fire management.
The mining companies, in turn, will assist the DENR in forest fire prevention and suppression efforts upon request, enhance their fire prevention activities, and ensure the provision of appropriate protective gear during response operations.
Apil highlighted the existing fire prevention and forest protection initiatives within the mining companies’ jurisdictions, indicating a potential expansion of these efforts beyond their usual scope.
Benguet Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgardo Flor stressed the importance of collaborative action in tackling forest fires, emphasizing the necessity for all available assistance to prevent further escalation of such incidents.
Representatives from the mining companies affirmed their commitment to the partnership, with Itogon-Suyoc Resources Incorporated Resident Manager Eric Andal stating that their safety department and engineers would coordinate with DENR and MGB to operationalize fire response actions.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection’s data as of March 18, Cordillera had experienced 113 forest fire incidents, with Benguet accounting for 58 cases, highlighting the urgency of the collaborative efforts to address the issue.
