Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya—Officials of OceanaGold Philippines Inc. said they will continue to work closely with the Didipio villagers to bring in various development projects for the benefit of the community.
Neri Langres, OGPI’s community relations manager, said these projects were included in gold miner’s Social Development and Management Project forged through a Memorandum of Agreement with the Didipio local government on Oct. 2, 2013.
Some of these, she said, are the completed High School Building and Elementary School and the P40 million Circumferential Road Development Project.
“All of these are now completed and are operational and we are working for the issues and concerns and requirements for the other projects to push through,” Langres said.
She added that the construction of a gymnasium is ongoing, while the completed P10-million medical facility needs the assistance of the surrounding local government units so that it will be fully operational.
“We are discussing the other requirements of the hospital facility with the community and the local government units, particularly on the hiring of workers so that its operation will be sustained,” Langres added.
The construction of the administrative building in barangay Didipio is set for bidding, she added.
The proposed Sanitary Landfill, Langres said, is delayed because they are waiting for the proposed area from the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), including the proposed cemetery, which will require clearance and approval of the Department of Health (DOH) and the DENR-Environment Management Bureau (EMB).
OGPI officials also expressed their assistance to address the complaint of the Didipio residents to establish a potable water system.
Lawyer Joan Cattiling, OGPI’s Senior Legal Counsel, said the water system project can also be included for funding in the firm’s SDMP.
“This will answer the concern of the villagers for the need of such project, so that the villagers will have a safe and sufficient access to water supply,” she said.
OGPI made the report to the municipal council to shed light on their SDMP projects, which are being complained about by several Didipio villagers and used as grounds to stop the mining firm’s expansion and exploration operations.