The interagency Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) eyes to finish within the three months the review of the 23 mining contracts and operations earlier ordered suspended or shuttered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a ranking official of the Department of Finance said.
After a technical working group (TWG) MICC meeting Monday night, Finance Undersecretary Bayani H. Agabin told reporters the group had already agreed on the composition, scope and process by which it would undertake the review starting March.
The MICC, co-chaired by the DOF and the DENR, earlier issued Resolution No. 6, which called for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder review of the DENR’s orders shutting down mining operations in 10 provinces, as mandated under Executive Order No. 79.
“The review shall be based on the guidelines and parameters set forth in the specific mining contract and in other pertinent laws, taking into account the valid exercise of the state’s police power to serve the common good, especially of the poor,” the resolution said.
The MICC was also ordered to “advise the DENR on the performance of existing mining operations in consultation with local government units,” according to the resolution.
As soon as the budget for the review is available, Agabin said, the group can complete the process in three months.
“We want to start as soon as possible, but we have some constraints. We have to set a target and we believe it’s probably reasonable (to do the review within) three months,” Agabin said.
“There are some administrative issues that we have to resolve, like where will we get the budget?” he said.
Agabin said the team wouldmerely be a fact-finding body,” as the review “will be investigative and done in a scientific manner.”
“We need experts to look at the technical, economic and social aspects of the mining operations,” Agabin added.
Agabin said the group was eyeing as members some members of the academe.
He said the result of the TWG’s investigation would be submitted and recommended to the Cabinet-level MICC.
While MICC covers all 311 mining contracts entered into by the government thus far, the review will cover only the first 23 affected by the DENR orders.