SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Office No. XIII presented the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act (RA) No. 7076, otherwise known as the People’s Small Scale Mining Act of 1991, during the 1st Caraga Resilient Mining Week celebration recently held in Surigao City.

MGB 13 Regional Director Engineer Larry M. Heradez explained that the Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2022-03 or the revised IRR aims for a more effective and expeditious implementation of the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act as it provides a more detailed and organized procedural guidelines on the registration and licensing of small-scale miners. It also mentions the declaration of People’s Small-Scale Mining dubbed as “Minahang Bayan,” which includes the establishment of mineral processing zones and the application for small-scale mining contracts and mineral processing license.

With Republic Act No. 7076, small-scale miners are required to have a declaration of a Minahang Bayan (“nation's mine”) and award of a Small-Scale Mining Contract before the conduct of small-scale mining operations that limit production to 50,000 metric tons annually over a contract area of 20 hectares.

In addition to the usual submission and implementation of Annual Safety and Health Program, Potential Environmental Impact Management Plan (PEIMP) and Community Development and Management Plan (CDMP), DAO No. 2022-03 now requires small-scale mining contractors to set-up an environmental management and social development fund equivalent to 10% of the total operating cost for the whole duration of the contract/permit or P100,000, whichever is higher, to ensure compliance with approved activities in the PEIMP and CDMP.

Dir. Heradez added, that under the said DAO, the establishment of mine wastes dump and mill tailings storage facility is also emphasized through providing clear guidelines on site selection, design, construction and payment of corresponding fees, as well as the inclusion of non-compliance of the same to the possible grounds for suspension and administrative fines. 

Meanwhile, representative of the small scale miners, Christopher D. Ocite welcomed the move of the government to regulate and formalize small scale mining practices under the revised IRR of RA 7076.

“We maintain our position that legalization and regulation are two of the most important foundations of the small-scale mining industry in our journey towards sustainability," Ocite said.

The Philippines is acknowledged as the fifth most mineralized country in the world, with 44 large mining companies of which 37 are operating mines, and another 65 non-metallic mining companies. 

A prime contributor in the said industry is Caraga Region, known as the mining capital of the country. It is blessed with vast mineral reserves of gold and nickel, tracts of potential mining lands and numerous mining operations, contributing a revenue of P2.14 billion from the different mining companies operating in the region as of 2022.

The revised IRR promotes responsible small-scale mining and enforces accountability to various issues and concerns tagged with the said industry, particularly on safety, environmental protection and social development.  (RLE/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)