A Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official rejected on Monday, April 19 the calls of environmental groups for the national government to reconsider its decision to lift the moratorium on mining agreements.
"Sa ngayon hindi natin pagtutuunan ng pansin yung ganyan dahil kailangan natin kasi, marami tayong mga problema ngayon sa ating bansa na kailangan natin ng pagkukuhanan ng pondo (As of now we won't give attention to those calls because we need a source of funds that we can use to address the many problems of the country)," DENR Usec. Jonas Leones said during the Laging Handa virtual press briefing.
"At isa ito sa nakita natin, isa sa mga paraan na para tayo makaahon ng konti. Para naman magamit natin mga pondong makukuha natin para din sa mga, like sa COVID-19 activities, pagbibigay ng ayuda sa mga mamamayan (And this is one of the sources that we can tap in order to survive. The funds that we will get could be used for COVID-19 activities, and for financial assistance to our countrymen)," he said.
The Philippines is currently grappling with an alarming surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that began early last month.
The recent reimposition of strict lockdowns in the National Capital Region (NCR)-plus has highlighted the need for economic intervention, which would require funds.
"Hindi ito overnight (Thsi wasn't an overnight decision). In fact we had several discussions with different agencies," Leones said of the decision to revive the local mining industry, which was provided for via an Executive Order (EO).
"Itong ban natin sa mining nagsimula ito during the time of President Aquino Nine years na at nakita natin, yung mining sector can undertake economic recovery (This ban started during the time of President Benigno Aquino III. I've been nine years and we see that the mining sector can undertake economic recovery)," he said.
"Maaari naman natin gamitin ang ating resources (We can use our own resources) to come up or generate necessary income for our economy," added Leones.