By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is mulling the shutdown of open pit mining by the end of the year if such mineral development operations don't clean up their act.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
Addressing the Filipino community in South Korea, the President admitted that he opposes open pit mining due to the damage caused on the environment.
"Marami tayong problema. Mining - 'yan open pit, it's destroying the country... Baka ipasara ko talaga ang mining na open pit ," Duterte said in his remarks.
"Either we have to reinvent mining in Philippines or sarado kayo lahat by the end of the year," he said.
Despite the huge revenues from mining operations, Duterte said the government must make "compromise" to prevent the further degradation of the environment caused by mining. "We have to limit destruction of the environment," he said.,
Last April, the President ordered mining firms to conduct tree planting projects and threatened to ban open pit mining next year. The government has banned new open pit mines last year due to the alleged widespread destruction to the soil and environment.