CCPI wants mining permits only for end-manufacturing

MANILA, Philippines - The oldest business chamber in the country wants government to issue mining permits only to those eventually setting up factories to manufacture finished products from the extracted minerals.

“It’s a paradigm shift,” said Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands president Jose Luis Yulo Jr. as he called on the government to revisit the country’s mining laws.

“The law should now be the mines of the Philippines will only be given to end producers or those who will put up factories. Anybody who will be given a mining permit must consume the ore he gets in manufacturing of finished products. And then maybe a part, if there are excess, we can export to countries who do not have it,” he added.

Yulo said the way the Philippines does its mining at present is against the people.

He said it is a shame for the country and its citizens simple products such as eyeglasses, pens and watch bracelets are not manufactured here when in fact, minerals used in these products come from the Philippines.

Instead of simply importing these finished products, Yulo said the government should invite companies to set up manufacturing plants with access to the country’s ore and other resources serving as incentives.

“We should not just get the ore and export it and then import back the finish product. The Filipino people will not learn anything except to dig, while other countries learn how to do industrial engineering, design, and they will employ 10 to 20 times more people in the manufacture of goods and they get a higher pay,” Yulo said.

“Imagine how many Filipinos will be employed if we manufacture here, and they will learn higher skills. Why are we not doing that is something that I cannot comprehend,” he added.

Yulo said the group’s proposal would be discussed with Environment Secretary Regina Lopez in the coming days.

By setting up their factories for manufacturing beside mine sites, Yulo said companies will feel more responsible in taking care of the environment as far as their mining operations are concerned.

“We should ask them to position their factory near the source. By doing so, they will take of the area, make sure the area develops, and make sure they follow environment rules because if they don’t, not only will their mines be affected and shut down, their factory which produces the end-product will also close. They will lose more,” he said.

“That is what we want Secretary Lopez to go towards. It is not enough to follow the laws of environment. We should use them to produce end-products and export the end-product abroad,” Yulo added.