DENR chief backs higher excise tax on mining firms

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu said on Thursday that he would favor a higher excise tax on mining companies in the Philippines.

“Absolutely yes, it’s needed,” Cimatu said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

But the environment chief could not immediately say how much increase he wanted.

He said he would discuss the issue with the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC).

“There’s nothing absolute now but I think I will be bringing this to the MICC as part of policy recommendations,” he said.

“There was this study before. There were some proponents who wanted to increase this 2 percent to 5 percent but the mining companies are opposing, that’s how it is,” he added.

In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, President Rodrigo Duterte warned mining companies to repair the damage they caused to the environment or he would “tax (them) to death”.

“You have to come up with a substitute either spend to restore the virginity of the source or I will tax you to death,” Duterte said.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda had earlier pushed for a 10-percent increase in the excise tax for mining companies in the country.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri also filed Senate Bill 1541, seeking to increase the excise tax on non-metallic and metallic minerals, and mineral products, and quarry resources.   /kga