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A new Minahang Bayan area was allowed to operate in Benguet Province amid government efforts to increase the country’s gold and silver output especially with the declaration of mining areas where small-scale miners could legally operate in.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is eyeing increased production in gold and silver amid plans to fast-track the declaration of more Minahang Bayan areas across different parts of the country.

The Philippines’ production of metallic minerals were mostly down during the first nine months of the year, but value was higher at P121.16 billion due to continuing increase in prices in the world market.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is pushing for policies that would gradually restrict the exportation of raw minerals to pave the way for more mineral processing and value-adding in the country's mining sector.

The provincial government of La Union has stopped the quarry operations along Aringay River in Tubao for alleged violation of national laws and provincial ordinances.

The first six months of the year have been good to the Philippines’ mining sector, with strong metal prices pushing the value of metals output up to P68.63 billion and gold and nickel, which account for most of the country’s mineral production, registering higher output from January to June.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) opted to keep the nationwide ban on open-pit mines amid the clamor of environmental groups. This was after the government agency attempted to insert a provision in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order 130 that would also lift the moratorium on the controversial mining method.

The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) 130 – which lifted the moratorium on new mining projects and the nationwide ban on open-pit mining method – has already been signed by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu.

The government has declared two Minahang Bayan (MB) areas in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) covering a combined mining area of 50 hectares.

The nickel industry in the Philippines, one of the most highly mineralized countries in the world, will keep its growth momentum this year despite the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippine government’s recent mining policies appear to have weakened the protective and accountability elements of regulating mining in the Philippines.

The mining industry is still enjoying a continuous string of goods news as the Philippine government gives in to a years-long clamor by mining companies to allow the automatic renewal of the exploration period in the country.

Executive Order No. 130

Although the majority of the mineral commodities registered a decline in output, the value of the Philippines’ total mineral production during the first three months of 2021 managed to rise by 14.11 percent to P28.91 billion from P25.34 billion during the same period last year. 

After suffering from major regulatory impediments for nearly a decade, it may take some time before the mining sector of the Philippines, one of the most highly mineralized countries in the world, to recover despite the government’s recent policy decisions that favor the industry.

After enduring years of intense scrutiny under the Duterte administration, the mining sector is now at the receiving end of a series of surprisingly positive policy decisions and considerations.  

Despite EO 130

The Philippine government has already finalized the updated Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) with Australian-Canadian miner OceanaGold Corporation (OceanaGold) nearly two years since the major mining deal expired.