Another people’s mine or “Minahang Bayan” with a total land area of 64 hectares which can be used for pocket mining was opened in Itogon, Benguet after the Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB) signed a resolution giving clearance to the space last Tuesday, January 15.
This is the second Minahang Bayan opened for pocket miners in Itogon. The first, with a size of 1 ha, was given access for mining last year.
Benguet Corp., one of the first mining firms in Barangay Loacan in Itogon, owns the majority of the land – 56.2 ha to be exact.
Cordillera director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and PMRB chair, Fay Apil, stressed the guidelines that comes hand-in-hand with the approved mining contracts. Pocket mining groups are able to extract mineral ores for commercial purposes but under regulated conditions.
Aside from the Loacan Itogon Pocket Miners Association, total of four groups have activities in the area of the Minahang Bayan. This is according to Lomino Kaniteng, president Benguet Federation for Small-Scale Miners.
For years, pocket mining in the province operated illegally and was tolerated by the local authorities.
Now, as directed by PMRB co-chair Gov. Crecensio Pacalso, a technical working group is in the process of finalizing the guidelines on processing contract applications.
Pacalso said he understands the need of miners to get back to working. However, legal processes should be followed to avoid problems.
