Licensed sand and gravel, quarry, and small-scale mining firms conducted an assembly with the local authorities of Iloilo on Wednesday, February 12, to discuss the proposed policy that aims to facilitate the ease of doing business (EODB) in the minerals industry in the province.

According to a Philippine Information Agency (PIA) report, the assembly comprised of officials and representatives from the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) of Iloilo, the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Iloilo Quarry Permit Association, Inc. (IQPAI).

According to the report, Chief of PGENRO-Iloilo Atty. Arturo C. Cangrejo presented the proposed flow chart which indicates that the number of days in the processing, evaluation, and approval of permits would be reduced to 40 days in accordance with RA11032 or “The Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018.”

The proposed policy resulted from prior meetings and consultations with the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) and PGENRO-Iloilo to re-engineer the procedural process, to set deadlines on every step of the process, and to address the basic concern of applicants and permit holders on the delays and the process of filing for a permit.

Officer-in-Chief of the Office of the Regional Director of MGB-6 Engr. Raul A. Laput expressed their support to the proposed policy, stating that this would help mitigate illegal small-scale mining and quarrying activities in the province.

Laput further stated in the report that it is the thrust of the DENR-MGB to eliminate illegal mining activities so as not to deprive the government of taxes and assistance to the host municipalities and barangays of the sand and gravel and quarry operations.

Moreover, he emphasized that compliance and environmental regulations is imperative to not only avoid over-extraction but to also reduce the risks from calamities to the environment.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), represented by DENR-6 Regional Executive Director Francisco T. Milla, also expressed their support in the initiative.

MGB-6 expressed that the general assembly allowed the permit holders to voice out their concerns to the government agencies responsible for acting on their application of permits.