The country’s leading mining groups have defended tree-cutting activities overseen by mining companies, maintaining that such operations are tightly governed by stringent environmental oversight and regulatory requirements.

In separate statements, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) said these activities are fully compliant with local mining and environmental laws and regulations, in line with the sector’s commitment to environmental protection.

COMP chairman Michael Toledo said these laws require mining companies to implement progressive rehabilitation, reforestation, and environmental protection programs, which are closely monitored by the government.

“Companies must restore and enhance forest cover throughout the life of a mining project and beyond under some of the country’s most stringent environmental regulations,” he said.

PNIA, whose members account for approximately 74 percent of the country’s nickel production, said these legal obligations are not treated as mere requirements but as a continuing pledge to protect the environment.

“Our members believe that responsible mining companies must be measured not only by compliance, but also by the tangible outcomes of their environmental programs. Reforestation, rehabilitation, biodiversity care, and long-term environmental management are essential parts of responsible operations,” the group said.

Both groups issued the statements on the heels of criticism from environmental groups over the issuance of a tree-cutting permit for the Berong Nickel Project in Palawan, which would result in the cutting of a total of 26,617 trees.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said in a statement last week that the project carries “one of the highest mitigation standards in the country.”

For one, the agency said there is a mandatory replacement ratio of 100 indigenous seedlings for every tree authorized for cutting, meaning the mining firm involved in the project will plant an estimated minimum of 2,661,700 seedlings.

The company is also required to maintain all planted seedlings for at least three years to ensure their survival and successful establishment, the DENR said.

“We assure the public that no tree is authorized for removal without strict legal basis, environmental safeguards, and long‑term rehabilitation requirements,” it said.

Citing data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Toledo said the mining sector has planted more than 74 million seedlings across nearly 56,000 hectares nationwide, with survival rates of over 90 percent.

He said the industry’s annual nationwide output is pegged at around three million trees under rehabilitation, reforestation, and environmental enhancement programs.

Further, PNIA said nickel companies in Palawan had collectively planted over nine million trees as of December last year.

“These efforts form part of broader environmental initiatives that include progressive rehabilitation, watershed protection, mangrove enhancement, biodiversity conservation, and the restoration of disturbed areas,” PNIA said.

The group said its members are committed to upholding environmental safeguards “to protect and improve the areas where [they] operate, guided by science, accountability, and [the] responsibility as stewards of the environment.”