The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region VI pushed for the cancellation of the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) of the Maricalum Mining Corp. in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region VI Executive Director Francisco Milla Jr. submitted the proposal to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on September 19.
“The company actually stopped its operation way back in 2001. The cancellation will enable the government to use the land for other purposes,” Milla was quoted saying in a SunStar report.
The Maricalum Mining Corp. was recorded committing repeated violations for several years and has failed to submit pertinent documents required for the lifting of mining suspensions.
“Once canceled, the land will be back on its original status. Meaning, private lands will be returned back to the owners while forest lands will go to the government,” Officer-in-Charge of the MGB-VI Raul Laput was quoted saying in the report.
Milla also stated that the regional line agency will continue the implementation of the ten priority programs of the secretary that focused on environmental laws, rehabilitation, and reforestation.
“Per his (Cimatu) instruction to us, we should also clean up Panay Island as well as Negros and Guimaras,” he said, adding that this will be a continuing measure as it cannot be done in just a year.
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