4 mining firms fail MICC audit

MANILA, Philippines — Four mining sites out of the 27 earlier ordered closed or suspended by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have failed the review conducted by the inter-agency Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday.

In an interview, Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin said the initial results of the MICC review showed that four mining companies scored low based on the benchmark set by the MICC technical review teams.

The companies were assessed based on the social, technical, legal, and environmental aspects of their operations.

“They assessed each mine in connection with the criteria and the benchmarks. The system was such that three is the highest score, two is minor reforms needed, one is for major reforms. Zero is not acceptable,” Agabin said.

According to Agabin, four of the companies scored an average lower than the “passing score” of 1.5.

However, Agabin clarified the results of the review are not yet final and still subject to change as the council is still awaiting the technical review teams’ assessment on the economic aspect of the mining operations.

The official said the economic review is expected to be finished in about one or two weeks.