Miners redirect P260-M social program funds for COVID-19 relief operations

Various mining companies have realigned their respective Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) funds for their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response efforts, amounting to P260 million.

According to a report, these companies are Nickel Asia Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp., Philex Mining Corp . , Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co., Marcventures Mining & Dev’t. Corp., TVI Resource Dev’t. (Phils.), Inc., Eramen Minerals, Inc., Filminera Resources Corp. & Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp., CTP Construction & Development Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Sagittarius Mines, Inc., and Silangan Mindanao Mining Co.

Out of the P260 million , P203.17 million was already on their respective COVID-19 efforts, according to Chamber of Mines of the Philippines’ (COMP) data.

These funds were used for the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs), health supplies and goods, relief goods, and food packages to 43,403 frontliners and 578,449 households, based on the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) data.

The SDMP funds were supposed to be used for development and implementation of community programs, projects and activities for the host and neighboring communities of a mining project.