The fate of 30 mining companies that failed the initial audit conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last year will be known on February 2.

DENR Secretary Gina Lopez is set to announce on February 2 the final results and recommendations of an audit team formed to look into violations of environmental safeguards by mining operators nationwide.

It will be recalled that barely one week after she assumed office on July 1, Lopez immediately ordered a review of all 41 operating metallic mines in the country.

Based on the initial results released last Sept. 27, only 11 mining companies "passed" the audit and 30 firms were either ordered suspended or recommended for suspension for failing to meet environmental safety standards.

In DENR Memorandum Order No. 2016-01 she issued on July 8 last year, Lopez ordered an industry-wide audit to look into the adequacy and efficiency of environmental protection measures taken by the mining companies, determine gaps in those measures and identify the appropriate penalties for violations of mining and environmental laws.

"In auditing these mining companies, we will not just look at the technical side but also the social practices – what are effects of these firms on the residents, water, among others,” Lopez said before the start of the mining audit last year.

The audit team is composed of representatives from the DENR central and regional offices, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Environmental Management Bureau, Biodiversity Management Bureau, Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and civil society organizations.

The mining audit focused on safety and health, mine environmental management, social development, mining tenement, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, hazardous waste, and solid waste.

Among the major findings of the team were violations of the terms and conditions of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2010-21, or the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7942, otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and DAO 200-98, which refers to Mine Safety and Health Standard. ###

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Published: 25 January 2017

Secretary Gina Lopez announced today a nationwide restructuring of 17 regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ensure the success of environmental programs and projects designed to help local communities protect their environment and improve their living conditions.

Lopez said the restructuring is an integral part of her five-year development plan for the DENR, which is anchored on sustainable integrated area development (SIAD) and in line with the "AmBisyonNatin 2040," a 25-year long-term vision that seeks to have a Philippines that is predominantly middle-class society by 2040.

SIAD will serve as the DENR's framework for localizing development, creating social enterprises in the countryside and building "mini economic zones" that can generate employment, livelihood and equitable income-generating activities in communities.

Under the plan, Lopez will designate key DENR field officers as "site managers" for area development management program (ADMP) sites.

According to Lopez, the restructuring will allow more efficient implementation of the SIAD approach in environmental programs and projects, especially those that directly impact the marginalized sector such as the Enhanced National Greening Program, a massive reforestation initiative that doubles as a poverty alleviation measure.

“In area development, the key thing here is people’s access to environment, and if you want to develop an area, you have to develop the people," Lopez told a recent conference attended by all senior officials of the DENR, both in the central and regional offices.

The DENR chief is confident that the restructuring would steer the DENR to carry out its mandate as one of the government's social justice champions.

Named regional directors are Francisco Moreno for Region1; Gil Aromin for Region 2; Francisco Milla, Region 3; Arsenio Tanchuling, Region 4A; Natividad Bernardino, Region 4B; Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez, Region 5; Jim Sampulna, Region 6; Emma Melana, Region 7; Leonardo Sibbaluca, Region 8; Felix Mirasol, Region 9; Paquito Melicor, Region 10; Edwin Andot, Region 11; Reynulfo Juan, Region 12; Charlie Fabre, Region13; Ludy Wagan, National Capital Region; Ralph Pablo, Cordillera Administrative Region; and Al Orolfo, Negros Island Region.

Still undergoing evaluation are the positions for the 78 Provincial Environment and Natural Officers (PENROs), and 140 Community Environment and Natural Resources Officers (CENROs) .
Stressing that “the heart and soul of the Philippine Constitution is social justice,” Lopez said the restructuring “”would position the DENR on a firmer ground“ to promote social justice as the SIAD approach opens up roads to efficient management of the country's natural resources and expanding potentials for social enterprises in these mini-economic zones .

Social enterprises are types of non-profit business activities that earn steady income for community members in financially sustainable ways that do not lead to inequality in the distribution of wealth. These activities could even help solve social and environmental issues in local communities.

Initially, the DENR has designated 29 priority areas: 13 in Luzon, 6 in Visayas, and 10 in Mindanao.

The ADMP areas in Luzon are Chico River and Mt. Pulag in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Zambales; Laur in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija; Sierra Madre in Cagayan; Sierra Madre in Nueva Ecija; Kaliwa Watershed in Marikina and Sierra Madre; Batangas Coastline and Verde Passage; Laguna Lake; Palawan; Sibuyan Island; Romblon; Occidential and Oriental Mindoro; and Sorsogon.

The priority areas in Visayas are the provinces of Guimaras, Antique, Samar, Bohol and Cebu, and the city of Iloilo.

Saranggani, Caraga-Cantilan, South Upi, Marilog, Mt. Hamiguitan/Mati, Talaingog in Davao del Norte, Rajah Buayan, Dinagat Island, Tawi-Tawi, and Lanao del Sur make up the areas in Mindanao.

These areas are evaluated based on available resources, as well as needs and requirements, which will become the basis in determining possible livelihood opportunities similar to those in established ecotourism zones like the La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City, and Ugong Rock and Iwahig Firefly Watching in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Following the convergence model, the civil society, academe, business sector, concerned government agencies and the community will be brought together to help build the model ADMP areas. ###

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Published: 23 January 2017

To attract more investments in clean energy, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez has vowed to reduce processing time for issuing environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) for renewable energy projects to a maximum of two weeks from the current 20 working days.

"I want to make a firm commitment that ECCs for renewable energy, not more than two weeks, they’re done. I don’t want to wait longer than two weeks," Lopez said.

"Any ECC for solar, for wind, for whatever, anything which will give us power and not damage people’s health … we want you in," she added.

A staunch advocate of renewable energy, Lopez said she wants the Philippines to "go aggressively into clean energy."

The environment chief made the statement last week when she announced the cancellation of ECCs of six more companies, four of them were from the mining sector and whose permits have expired since 1992.

ECC is a certificate issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) following a positive review of the ECC application. This certifies that based on the application of the proponent, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause a significant negative impact on the environment.

An ECC has a validity of five years from issuance, whether or not an applicant starts operation, after which it is considered lapsed.

Lopez said the ECC cancellation was a necessary measure to prevent companies from damaging the environment and causing people to suffer.

"I want to bring forth the more touching thing which is they would have caused damage in the environment," Lopez said, adding that the "main determining factor is the well-being of people."

The four mining firms whose ECCs were cancelled by the DENR are Intex Resources Phils. Inc in Mindoro Occidental located in a watershed; Forum Cebu Coal Corporation (FCCC) in Cebu; CEKAS Development Corporation in Misamis Oriental; and Eaglerock Mining Corp. in Zamboanga del Sur.

Also cancelled were the ECCs of Mejore Wood Works Inc. in Surigao del Sur and Alltech Contractors Inc. in the coasts of Las Piñas and Parañaque, where there is a mangrove plantation.

DENR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Maria Paz Luna said the companies with cancelled ECCs will have to show a new plan considering that there may already be changes in the condition of the environment in their sites. They also need to re-apply for an ECC if they intend to proceed with their operation, she added.

Last December, the DENR also cancelled the ECCs of five mining companies: Ipilan Nickel Corp., Core Mining Corp., Lebach Mining Corp., and Egerton Gold Phils. Inc. for having lapsed or expired ECCs, and Austral-Asia for operating near the Philippine eagle habitat and a bonsai forest in Davao.

According to the EMB website, ECC processing takes 20 working days from submission of all necessary requirements, which include geo-tagged photographs of the proposed project site, maps of impact/affected areas (showing at least 1km from the project boundaries) and a certification from the local government unit proving the compatibility of the proposed project with the existing land use plan. ###

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Published: 20 January 2017

With the impending demolition of all fishpens and fish cages inside Laguna de Bay, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is issuing its final appeal to operators of fish pens and cages within the Laguna de Bay to conduct self-demolition before it begins this month a massive operation to clear the lake of illegal structures.

National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force (NAECTF) head Arturo Valdez said the DENR is still giving the operators the chance to save their valuable assets like pen and cage enclosure materials.

“Once we begin the operation, all assets affected by our dismantling activities will be confiscated in favor of the government,” said Valdez, who is in charge of the dismantling operation, along with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and concerned local government units.

The impending dismantling operation is in line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to dismantle big fish pens and cages in Laguna Lake to allow small fishermen to gain access to traditional fishing grounds.

"That's the presidential instruction after all, and the DENR is dead set on implementing it unless of course a new directive from no less than President Duterte is given," Valdez said, advising those seeking to stop the planned dismantling to direct their appeal not to the DENR, but to the President instead.”

According to the DENR official, some operators already voluntarily dismantled their facilities as early as last month, allowing them to keep their assets, especially the fish stock that they still were able to sell in the market.

Valdez said the DENR and the LLDA are now mapping out a "phase-by-phase approach" for the clearing operation.

He added that all aquaculture facilities in the lake area will be covered by the dismantling operation since the permits given to operators already expired last December 31 and will no longer be renewed by the DENR.

"We have imposed a total moratorium on the renewal of permits (starting January 1, 2017). This means the pens and cages can be dismantled anytime," Valdez said.

“You know, the dismantling of fish pens (and cages) is not simple. There are posts there (and nets) that's why it's better for the owners to dismantle it themselves. You take care of your materials, those are expensive after all," Valdez said.

Valdez pointed out that the only way to save the lake and give access to small fishermen is to dismantle all illegal structures within the country's largest lake.

He said these structures also obstruct the natural flow of water, which is necessary to cleanse the lake of pollutants from households and industries, and even from chemical components of fish feeds.

Valdez said the demolition of illegal structures within the Laguna Lake is part of an overall plan to save the water body from further ecological destruction.

Another key component of the Laguna Lake rehabilitation plan is the stopping of pollution discharges from industrial and domestic sources, including sedimentation and siltation from degraded watershed surrounding the lake.

The rehabilitation plan also includes reconfiguration of sewage systems of the lakeside communities and reforestation of surrounding mountains. ###

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Published: 14 January 2017

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez on Wednesday expressed her willingness to facilitate soonest the issuance of a permit that would allow Petron Corp. to transfer the ash stockpile released from its refinery to a cement plant also located within the Petron Bataan Refinery (PBR) complex in Limay town.

Residents have been complaining of the volume of ash coming from the sprawling refinery complex that caused some of them to fall ill, prompting the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), a line bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, to issue notices of violation against PBR and SMC Consolidated Power Corp. (SMCCPC).

Both Petron and SMCCPC are subsidiaries of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), one of the country's most diversified and biggest conglomerates.

"I will ask [SMC president] Ramon Ang to submit an application to transport the ash, so that we can process it immediately,” Lopez told residents during a dialogue.

Ang reportedly said that Petron would gladly move the deposits of what he said was lime powder, not ash, to a plant within the PBR for use as raw material in manufacturing cement. He said this would address the problem of dust complained by residents.

Lopez said she would exert all effort to ensure that the PBR and SMCCPC "will comply with environmental laws and not cause people to suffer."

“I am sure that Mr. Ang would not do something that would jeopardize a billion-dollar operation. I commit and make sure that you (the community) would be okay,” Lopez assured Limay residents.

She said the DENR would also coordinate with the Department of Health regarding the medical conditions reported by residents.

The EMB, in an order dated January 9, directed SMCCPC to explain why the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for its Limay facility should not be revoked or cancelled due to the ash spill. The company has until January 13 to submit its reply.

Also on January 9, the EMB issued a separate order to PBR to "stop from dumping newly-generated bottom ash" in the area while the ash spill incident is being investigated.

Meanwhile, EMB Acting Director Jacqueline Caancan said the bureau would have to make sure the ash being released from the PBR is not toxic.

“If found non-hazardous, the materials could be dumped in a sanitary landfill or allowed to be disposed of through other equally safe means," Caancan said.

"Otherwise, the company would have to secure a permit to transport from the EMB," she added. ###

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Published: 12 January 2017