Sustainable Mine Closure and Decommissioning Program
=
Management Program (SDMP) for the two mining sites. A
chi-square test (x² 32.42, p<0.001) indicated that the
respondents' perception on the current mining operations
differ in the two locations. Respondents from FRC barangay
more likely to show that the current mining operations
provide family's income source while the RRMI respondents
perceive it to be the source of community projects. This
further validates the situation with RRMI areas as the
company has commenced in closing mining operations,
where only the social projects on account of the SDMP are
the ones benefiting the communities, while income from
mining operations are the ones obtained by the residents of
FRC barangays.
In RRMI impact barangays, the communities were
involved in the formulation of the plans for livelihood and
employment as a result of the closure of the mining project.
Under the SDMP scheme, fishing implements (banca, nets
and fishing gears) were provided; funding opportunities to
implement piggery, poultry and goat raising projects;
provision of agricultural inputs for coconut, abaca and
vegetable production; organization of cooperatives
Figure 1. Reasons Why People Favour Mining*
Source of social services
77%
70%
for residents
Source of community
projects
70%
67%
Source of income
50% 77%
43% 63%
Offer business
opportunities
Source of patronage 40% 60%
■RRMI FRC
*
Multiple Response
and the recovery of scrap materials for community projects
were also included in the package. It also made possible the
provision of water system such as storage tanks and water.
distribution lines, educational assistance in the form of
scholarships for pupils and students, provision of electricity,
health services and the conduct of medical missions. The
maintenance of road networks, environmental conservation
and preservations measures were also part of the major
provisions of the SDMP for the impact barangays. These are
the social services which people source out on account of the
mining operations, which is why for them these things are
very favourable as reflected in Figure 1.
Comparatively, the SDMP provisions for the FRC
impact barangays consists of allocation for environmental
safety features with conservation and preservation measures
along tailings impounding areas; establishment of
community mangrove reforestation and aquaculture projects;
establishment of cacao plantation; conversion of the current
airstrip into a municipal airport; development of ecotourism
in the municipality; conversion of the building facilities
inside the FRC compound to a residential area; development
of causeway for commercial operation to accommodate cargo
of large vessels; development of an agro-forestry site out of
the tailings storage and mill facilities; conversion of the mine
power plant into an independent power provider; turnover of
the management of the division dam to a local cooperative;
maintenance of access roads; and the relocation of the church
into a new site.
Mine closure legislation and policies which regulates the
implementation of sustainable mine decommissioning and
closure practices adopted and implemented by mining
companies are clearly stipulated and embedded in the final
mine rehabilitation and decommissioning plan (FMRDP).
Such plan is in accordance with Republic Act No. 7942
otherwise known as the "Act Instituting a New System of
Mineral Resources Exploration, Development, Utilization
and Conservation"; Administrative Order No. 2010-21,
which provides for a Consolidated Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative
Order for the Implementing Rules and Regulations of
Republic Act No. 7942, otherwise known as the "Philippine
Mining Act of 1995"; DENR Administrative Order 2005-07,
which are the "Amendments to Chapter XVIII of DENR
Administrative Order 96-40, as amended, providing for the
establishment of the Final Mine and Decommissioning
Fund"; Administrative Order No. 2010-21, which provides
for a Consolidated Department of Environment and Natural
Resources Administrative Order for the Implementing Rules
and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7942, otherwise known
Act of
the "Philippine Mining
1995";DENR
Administrative Order 36, Series of 2004, which revises the
DENR Administrative Order No. 29, Series of 1992, to
further strengthen the implementation of Republic Act 6969
(Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes
Control Act of 1990) and Prescribing the Use of Procedural
Manual; DENR Administrative Order No. 1996-40, as
amended, which specifically provides the guidelines on the
determination of a post-mining land use.
as
Table 2. Suggested Use of Facilities after Closure*
RRMI Barangays
FRC Barangays
Responses
Frequency*
%
Frequency*
%
School complex
Sports complex
Camp site
19
63.3
20
66.7
16
53.3
15
50.0
21
70.0
23
76.7
18
60.0
19
63.3
22
73.3
24
80.0
Multiple Response
Housing complex
Tourist
destination/attraction
*
The development of a sustainable mining industry is
dependent on the development of a regulated and controlled
responsible mining industry. However, appropriate
legislation and policies should be developed to effectively
control and regulate mine closure process within the initial
mine assessment and approval process (Clark et al, 1998).
Based on the findings of the study, it can be construed that
the contribution of mining to the overall economy of the two
municipalities is relatively small. Hence, an equitable sharing
mechanism should be developed so that the host
communities may have the highest share, a reverse of the
present sharing scheme. Citing data from the Mines and
Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the mining sector currently has
a 0.7 percent contribution to the country's gross domestic
CEST2017_01078View entire presentation