The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) sought to transform its anti-illegal mining task force into a separate bureau to combat illegal mining activities in the country.
“We are now pushing for the task force to be made into a separate bureau. In this way, it will have more resources, more manpower and more leverage to work with other law enforcement bodies. The environmental laws are there, but we need to be as strict as possible with the enforcement and that means a lot of collaboration from the bottom going up,” MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano was quoted saying in a BusinessMirror report.
The proposal emerged in light of campaigns for greater responsibility and accountability from mining companies nationwide.
Moncano expressed the agency’s commitment to fight environmental abuse caused by illegal mining operators saying that “there is no room for illegal mining in the Philippines.”
The MGB also encouraged small-scale miners to formally register and join cooperatives to help reduce illegal mining operations.
Moncano said the current administration has been working to improve environmental protection and rehabilitation programs in partnership with local government units and law enforcement agencies.
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