The Mines and Geosciences Bureau under the direct supervision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Friday continued to remain silent over the operation of OceanaGold Philippines mining company with an expired financial and technical assistance agreement in Nueva Vizcaya as well as a restraining order from the provincial government.
When asked to comment, the office of MGB director Wilfredo Moncano through its staff Tess Obias said he was away for a meeting, and could not be interviewed.
She referred the Manila Standard to get in touch with the DENR central office.
On the other hand, the bureau’s Mining Tenement Division through Kenneth Chan, a contract of service employee, also told the Manila Standard that the division chief, engineer Larry Heradez, was also in a meeting.
However, a certain Cena Lagude from the same office said OceanaGold’s FTAA dossiers were already transmitted to the office of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.
“I just don’t know what the contents are,” she said.
Manila Standard tried to reach Undersecretary for Climate Change Service and Mining Concerns Analiza Teh to clarify issues if OceanaGold local unit operated with an expired FTAA.
Nelgie Belisario, a project evaluation officer, said Teh was on board her weekly radio program.
“As far as I know, the FTAA is already in Malacañang for consideration, but I am not familiar with the details of it,” she said.
Manila Standard was advised to send a request letter for an interview with Teh.
DENR through its public information division suggested to interview the MGB chief, and not the central office itself.
In Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Rep. Luisa Cuaresma expressed her support to the overwhelming sentiments of anti-mining advocates to block the application of OceanaGold Philippines Inc. for a new FTAA with the Office of the President.
In a letter to Cimatu, Cuaresma reiterated her no mining stand as OGPI’s FTAA had expired last month.
She also requested a copy of Cimatu’s bases of his recommendation in endorsing OGPI’s application for a new FTAA.
“Being the host province, I deem it very necessary that we should be properly informed of all issues relative to OGPI. There should be full transparency on this matter,” Cuaresma said.
She said OGPI’s operations are causing too much divisiveness and environmental destruction in the province.
“Rallies and other means of mass actions against mining operation had been staged by our people, called by several people’s organization s and even the church leaders,” Cuaresma said.
The solon also stressed that during the DENR budget deliberation last year, she made it clear that mining operations in the province must come to a stop, its FTAA must not be renewed and that no more mining companies should be allowed to step in the grounds of Nueva Vizcaya.
President Rodrigo Duterte has the final say whether to grant a renewal of OceanaGold’s FTAA or not upon the recommendation of the MGB and DENR.
Despite the expiration of its FTAA, the company’s operation still continued beyond June 20.
OceanaGold filed a application for a renewal.
Based on news reports, Moncano was quoted as saying the application for the firm’s FTAA renewal was already transmitted to the Office of the President, and that he cited a provision in the Administrative Code stating that the existing license shall not expire until the application shall have been finally determined by the agency.
Last June 13, OceanaGold requested a written confirmation for the continuous operation of the Didipio gold and copper mine for another 25 years amid the lapse of its FTAA.
Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, along with other environmentalists, questioned the DENR and MGB’s endorsement of OceanaGold’s FTAA application to the President, “instead of canceling it outright.”
The group said even the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya issued a restraining order to stop the mine operations in the municipality of Kasibu.
It called on Cimatu and Moncano to withdraw their endorsement of OceanaGold’s application.
The FTAA is granted to foreign-owned corporation seeking to operate in the Philippines, and it is a deal entered into between a contractor and the government for the large-scale exploration, development and utilization of gold, copper, nickel, chromite, lead, zinc and other minerals.