The mining industry emerges as a powerful driver of employment and economic growth, according to NEDA MIMAROPA Regional Director, Agustin Mendoza, during the "PIO PALAWAN Stakeholder's Congress on Mining and the Environment" held last week.

With nickel and copper dominating production in both volume and value in the metallic minerals-rich Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (MIMAROPA) region, the mining industry has provided jobs for 7,000 to 9,500 individuals pre-pandemic. This number rose significantly post-lockdowns, with over 12,000 people employed in 2022 alone.

"Although the percentage share to total employed persons in the region is less than 1%, it is still very significant because if you employed 12,000 (individuals) with a family of four, that's 12,000 times four benefiting directly from mining," said Mendoza on the multiplier effect of mining on livelihood sustainability.

The positive effects extend beyond job creation, with the mining and quarrying subsector ranking as the fourth-largest contributor to MIMAROPA’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), accounting for a significant 9.5%.

“From 2017 to 2022, 90% of the region's export commodities came from mining, all of which originated from Palawan. The contribution to the country's exports (earnings), balance of payment, and dollar reserves is significant,” he explained, saying that while the volume of mineral exports has declined, higher global prices have ensured the sector's continued importance.

Mendoza also noted that taxes, fees, and royalties being collected—mostly from Palawan mines—have steadily risen, contributing a substantial 8.48% or Php 2.5 billion to the national coffers in 2022 alone. 

As the second-largest nickel ore producer in the Philippines after Surigao del Sur in Caraga, the NEDA director highlighted the practice of responsible mining in the region through environmental initiatives and community engagement programs.