The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its mining agency Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) officially launched its responsible mining campaign on November 8, in hopes to create a better perception of mining to the public.
“The campaign aims to recreate a clearer and more actual image of the mining industry in the country. The aim also aims to promote an inclusive approach in ensuring the mining industry’s commitment to the protection of the people and the environment. It is important that the public is informed because as it is today the mining industry is largely misunderstood,” MGB Director Atty. Wilfredo Moncano said during his keynote speech.
He added that the objectives of the campaign are to promote the identity of the MGB and DENR; inform the general public about the benefits of mining to the country’s society and economy; show transparency in its duty to rehabilitate the environment; make the citizens an ally in ensuring responsible mining; and address the misconceptions about the mining industry.
DENR Undersecretary for Climate Change Service and Mining Concerns Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said that negative perceptions stem from previous mining firms who failed to rehabilitate their mining sites in the past and their failure to deliver benefits to host communities. Adding to that is the disregard for environmental compliance, as well as displacement of communities, especially the indegenous peoples.
She also added that the government shares the same negative perception when it comes to mining.
“We are being accused of weak monitoring of the operations of the mining companies and our enforcement of mining environmental laws is also weak. Worse the government is also seen as corrupt that we collaborate with the mining companies and we are being attacked of covering up for the errors of the mining companies,” she said.
Teh emphasized the importance of coming up with the appropriate messaging when it comes to reframing mining’s image to the public.
“We need to effectively communicate the results of the practice and the outcome but the big question is how? We cannot conduct information and education campaign like we are convincing the already convinced or those who are already partners or those who are already our supporters,” she noted.
She said that a communication strategy team should be put up to plan the short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategy communications for the mining sector.
On the other hand, MGB Regional Director Region XII Engr. Felizardo Gacad, Jr presented the current status of the department’s campaign on responsible mining.
“There is an ongoing review on the performance of the existing mining operations. So marami po tayong mining operations all over the country and right now there is an existing review of all of these things. And we are cleansing the non-performing firms,” he explained.
